Operation Althea

Last updated
European Union Force Bosnia and Herzegovina
Also known asEUFOR, Operation Althea
Military leaderFlag of Hungary.svg Major General László Sticz
Political leaderFlag of Europe.svg  European Union
Dates of operation2 December 2004 (2004-12-02) – present
AllegianceFlag of Europe.svg  European Union
MotivesSuccessful implementation of the Dayton Agreement
Size1100 members
Battles and warsthe Dayton Agreement
ColoursBlue, white, and yellow
Preceded by
Flag of NATO.svg SFOR

Operation Althea, formally the European Union Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), is a military deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina to oversee the military implementation of the Dayton Agreement. [1] It is the successor to NATO's SFOR and IFOR. The transition from SFOR to EUFOR was largely a change of name and commanders: 80% of the troops remained in place. [2] It replaced SFOR on 2 December 2004.

Contents

General aspects

Civilian implementation of the Dayton Agreement is enforced by the Office of the High Representative.

EUFOR's commander is Major General László Sticz [3] of Hungary. For this mission, the European Union Military Staff is using NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) as the EU's Operational Headquarters (OHQ) and is working through the Deputy to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, a European officer.

EUFOR assumed all the missions of SFOR, except for the hunt for individuals indicted by the war crimes tribunal, notably Radovan Karadžić, former leader of Republika Srpska, and Ratko Mladić, their former military leader, which remained a mission for NATO [2] through NATO Headquarters Sarajevo. [4] EUFOR does have police duties against organised crime, which is believed to be linked to suspected war criminals. [5] It worked with the European Union Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUPM) and with the Bosnian Police. The European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina provides political guidance on military issues with a local political dimension to the EUFOR.

As of February 2023, the total force of EUFOR is approximately 1,000 troops from 22 countries, including EU member states and non-EU "Troop Contributing Countries" (TCC) are present within EUFOR (Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, North Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey). [6]

On 18 December 2020, the United Kingdom marked the end of its 16-year contribution to EUFOR, following Brexit. [7]

As of early 2021, EUFOR personnel bases include:

Contributing states

List of countries EUFOR Althea: [9]

CountryEUNATOStrength
Flag of Albania.svg  Albania [10] NoYes1
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria [11] YesNo221
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium YesYes1
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria [12] YesYes10
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile [13] NoNo15
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic [14] YesYes2
Flag of France.svg  France [15] YesYes250
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany [16] YesYes50
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece [17] YesYes2
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary [18] YesYes30
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland [19] YesNo7
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy [20] YesYes4
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands [21] [22] YesYes160
Flag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia [23] NoYes3
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland [24] YesYes39
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal YesYes1
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania [25] YesYes39
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia [26] YesYes40
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia [27] YesYes9
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain [28] YesYes4
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden YesYes2
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland [29] NoNo26
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey [30] NoYes150
2216171,510


Withdrawn
CountryEUNATOYear of withdrawal
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia YesYes2012
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland YesYes2018 [31]
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg YesYes2013
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom [32] NoYes2020 [33]

Commanders

No.StateRankNameTenure
1Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Major general David Leakey 2 December 2004 – 6 December 2005
2Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Major generalGian Marco Chiarini6 December 2005 – 5 December 2006
3Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Rear admiral Hans-Jochen Witthauer5 December 2006 – 4 December 2007
4Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Major generalIgnacio Martín Villalaín [34] 4 December 2007 – 4 December 2008
5Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Major general Stefano Castagnotto 4 December 2008 – 3 December 2009
6Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major generalBernhard Bair4 December 2009 – 6 December 2011
7Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major generalRobert Brieger6 December 2011 – 3 December 2012
8Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major generalDieter Heidecker3 December 2012 – 17 December 2014
9Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major general Johann Luif 17 December 2014 – 24 March 2016
10Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major generalFriedrich Schrötter24 March 2016 – 28 March 2017
11Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major generalAnton Waldner28 March 2017 – 28 March 2018
12Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major generalMartin Dorfer28 March 2018 – 26 June 2019
13Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major generalReinhard Trischak26 June 2019 – 14 January 2021
14Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major generalAlexander Platzer14 January 2021 – 20 January 2022
15Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major generalAnton Wessely20 January 2022 – 18 January 2023
16Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Major generalHelmut Habermayer18 January 2023 – 22 January 2024
17Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary Major generalLászló Sticz22 January 2024 – present

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina</span> Military of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the official military force of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The BiH armed forces were officially unified in 2005 and are composed of two founding armies: the Bosniak and Croat Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (VFBiH) and the Bosnian Serbs' Army of Republika Srpska (VRS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slovak Armed Forces</span> Combined military forces of the Slovak Republic

The Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic were divided from the Czechoslovak Army after dissolution of Czechoslovakia on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined NATO on 29 March 2004. From 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organization and compulsory military service was abolished. Slovak armed forces numbered 19,500 uniformed personnel and 4,208 civilians in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Implementation Force</span> NATO-led force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995–96)

The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename Operation Joint Endeavour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina</span> Former peacekeeping force of the NATO

The Stabilisation Force (SFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina after the Bosnian War. Although SFOR was led by NATO, several non-NATO countries contributed troops. It was replaced by EUFOR Althea in December 2004.

An international decoration is a military award which is not bestowed by a particular country, but rather by an international organization such as the United Nations or NATO. Such awards are normally issued as service medals, for participation in various international military operations, and not for specific acts of heroism or bravery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Deliberate Force</span> 1995 campaign by NATO and UN forces against Republika Srpska during the Bosnian War

Operation Deliberate Force was a sustained air campaign conducted by NATO, in concert with the UNPROFOR ground operations, to undermine the military capability of the Army of Republika Srpska, which had threatened and attacked UN-designated "safe areas" in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War with the Srebrenica genocide and Markale massacres, precipitating the intervention. The shelling of the Sarajevo marketplace on 28 August 1995 by the VRS is considered to be the immediate instigating factor behind NATO's decision to launch the operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union</span> Accession process of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union

The accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union (EU) is the stated aim of the present relations between the two entities. Bosnia and Herzegovina has been recognised by the European Union as a "candidate country" for accession since the decision of the European Council in 2022 and is on the current agenda for future enlargement of the EU. Bosnia and Herzegovina takes part in the Stabilisation and Association Process and trade relations are regulated by an Interim Agreement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berlin Plus agreement</span> 2002 agreement between NATO and the EU

The Berlin Plus agreement is the short title of a comprehensive package of agreements made between NATO and the EU on 16 December 2002. These agreements were based on conclusions of NATO's 1999 Washington summit, sometimes referred to as the "CJTF mechanism", and allowed the EU to draw on some of NATO's military assets in its own peacekeeping operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosnia and Herzegovina–Romania relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bosnia and Herzegovina–Romania relations are bilateral relations between Romania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Both countries are full members of the Southeast European Cooperation Process, Southeast European Cooperative Initiative, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. Bosnia and Herzegovina has an embassy in Bucharest. Romania has an embassy in Sarajevo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1551</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2004

United Nations Security Council resolution 1551, adopted unanimously on 9 July 2004, after recalling previous resolutions on the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, including resolutions 1031 (1995), 1088 (1996), 1423 (2002) and 1491 (2003), the council extended the mandate of the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a further period of six months and welcomed the deployment of EUFOR Althea at the end of the SFOR's mandate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1575</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2004

United Nations Security Council resolution 1575, adopted unanimously on 22 November 2004, after recalling previous resolutions on the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, including resolutions 1031 (1995), 1088 (1996), 1423 (2002), 1491 (2003) and 1551 (2004), the council defined the role of EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a legal successor to the Stabilisation Force (SFOR).

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1948, adopted unanimously on November 18, 2010, after recalling previous resolutions on the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, including resolutions 1031 (1995), 1088 (1996), 1423 (2002), 1491 (2003), 1551 (2004), 1575 (2004), 1639 (2005), 1722 (2006), 1764 (2007), 1785 (2007), 1845 (2008), 1869 (2008) and 1895 (2009), the Council extended the mandate of EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina for an additional year until November 18, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1639</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2005

United Nations Security Council resolution 1639, adopted unanimously on 21 November 2005, after recalling previous resolutions on the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, including resolutions 1031 (1995), 1088 (1996), 1423 (2002), 1491 (2003), 1551 (2004) and 1575 (2004), the Council extended the mandate of EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a legal successor to the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) for a further twelve months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1722</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2006

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1722, adopted unanimously on November 21, 2006, after recalling previous resolutions on the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, including resolutions 1031 (1995), 1088 (1996), 1423 (2002), 1491 (2003), 1551 (2004), 1575 (2004) and 1639 (2005), the Council extended the mandate of EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a legal successor to the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) for a further twelve months.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2019 was unanimously adopted on 16 November 2011, and approved the mandate of European force in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Vigošća is a left tributary of the Vrbanja river in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It rises on the northern slopes of Ježica mountain by strong spring Vrelo, on the north slopes of Ježica mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosnia and Herzegovina–Spain relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bosnia and Herzegovina–Spain relations were formally established on 14 December 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orkestar OSBiH</span>

The Orkestar OSBiH or as it is known officially, the Military Band of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina is ceremonial band unit of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of its creation, it was the successor to the a band of the Yugoslav People's Army based in the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina known as Vojni orkestar Sarajevo . Alisher Sijaric, a Bosnian composer, was a member of the band in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosnia and Herzegovina–Germany relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bosnia and Herzegovina–Germany relations are the bilateral relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federal Republic of Germany. Diplomatic relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany have existed since 1992. Bosnia and Herzegovina has an embassy in Berlin and consulates general in Frankfurt am Main, Munich and Stuttgart. Germany maintains an embassy in Sarajevo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fatih Sultan Mehmet Barracks</span>

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Barracks is the headquarters and barracks of the Turkish Armed Forces battalion in Zenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina under EUFOR.

References

  1. ↑ Reuters [ dead link ]
  2. 1 2 "EU troops prepare for Bosnia swap". BBC. 23 October 2004.
  3. ↑ "European Union Force in BiH - Major General László Sticz takes command of EUFOR Operation Althea". www.euforbih.org. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
  4. ↑ "Allied Joint Force Command Naples". Archived from the original on 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
  5. ↑ Evans, Michael (29 November 2004). "EU force to take on pimps, drug barons and smugglers". The Times . Retrieved 13 January 2007.
  6. ↑ "EUFOR Fact Sheet – Countries of EUFOR". EUFOR. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
  7. ↑ "European Union Force in BiH – United Kingdom ends contribution to EU Mission". www.euforbih.org. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  8. ↑ "European Union Force in BiH - EUFOR LOT Houses". euforbih.org. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  9. ↑ "European Union Force in BiH - Mission Background". www.euforbih.org. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  10. ↑ Einsatzzahlen albanische Streitkräfte Archived 2024-05-27 at the Wayback Machine , retrieved 28 September 2016.
  11. ↑ Einsatzzahlen österreichischen Streitkräfte, retrieved 28 March 2018.
  12. ↑ Einsatzzahlen bulgarische Streitkräfte, retrieved 14 March 2017.
  13. ↑ Einsatzzahlen chilenische Streitkräfte, retrieved 28 September 2016.
  14. ↑ Archived (Date missing) at mise.army.cz (Error: unknown archive URL), retrieved 28 September 2016.
  15. ↑ Wolska, Anna (2024-04-12). "Po NATO teraz UE zwiększy swoją wojskową obecność w Bośni i Hercegowinie". www.euractiv.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  16. ↑ "EUFOR Althea: Bundeswehr trägt weiter zu Frieden und Stabilität bei". www.bmvg.de (in German). 2024-05-11. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  17. ↑ Einsatzzahlen griechische Streitkräfte, retrieved 28 September 2016.
  18. ↑ Einsatzzahlen ungarische Streitkräfte, retrieved 14 March 2017.
  19. ↑ "Overseas Deployments". www.military.ie. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  20. ↑ Einsatzzahlen italienische Streitkräfte, retrieved 28 September 2016.
  21. ↑ "A look at the Defence news 2 – 8 October - News item - Defensie.nl". english.defensie.nl. 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  22. ↑ "Netherlands to deploy 160 soldiers for peacekeeping mission in Bosnia". anews. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  23. ↑ http://www.euforbih.org/eufor/index.php/eufor-news/latest-news/2071-visit-to-eufor-by-minister-of-defence-of-former-yugoslav-republic-of-macedonia-fyrom Einsatzzahlen mazedonische Streitkräfte
  24. ↑ Einsatzzahlen polnische Streitkräfte, retrieved 28 September 2016.
  25. ↑ Archived (Date missing) at smg.mapn.ro (Error: unknown archive URL), retrieved 28 September 2016.
  26. ↑ Einsatzzahlen slowakische Streitkräfte, retrieved 14 March 2017.
  27. ↑ Einsatzzahlen slowenische Streitkräfte [ permanent dead link ], retrieved 28 September 2016.
  28. ↑ Einsatzzahlen spanische Streitkräfte, retrieved 14 March 2017.
  29. ↑ Archived (Date missing) at vtg.admin.ch (Error: unknown archive URL), Swiss Peace Support, retrieved 28 September 2016.
  30. ↑ Einsatzzahlen türkische Streitkräfte, retrieved 28 March 2018.
  31. ↑ "Finland discontinues its participation in the EUFOR ALTHEA operation". maavoimat.fi. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  32. ↑ "Ministry of Defence Sarajevo - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2014-06-13.
  33. ↑ "European Union Force in BiH – United Kingdom ends contribution to EU Mission". www.euforbih.org. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  34. ↑ "EUFOR change of command ceremony". Archived from the original on 2017-09-28. Retrieved 2007-12-05.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.