2023-11-04 10:30:04
Operations company will train in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Vienna (OTS) – On Monday, November 6, 2023, around 100 soldiers from Jägerbataillon 24 from Tyrol and Jägerbataillon 19 in Güssing will be deployed as reinforcements to the EUFOR ALTHEA force in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The professional soldiers will complete operational training there in the next few weeks.
“Austria is committed to actively participating in international peace operations to deal with crises and to secure peace in order to meet the new challenges of the 21st century. Overcoming current security policy challenges can only be achieved through international cooperation within the European network. This means that, in addition to the main task of military national defense, participation in international peacekeeping operations is also an important task for the Federal Army. The training of our reinforcement forces for the EUFOR ALTHEA mission shows how seriously we take our lasting contribution to stability in the Balkans,” said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner.
The Federal Army in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Since December 2004, the Austrian soldiers in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been under the European Union’s EUFOR ALTHEA command. Together with their comrades from many other nations – but especially from the EU – they support compliance with the Dayton Agreement.
The main mission of the soldiers is to ensure a safe life for the population in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to intervene in domestic conflicts.
Support for the Bosnian security forces can be guaranteed to a certain extent if necessary. In this way, Austria makes a significant contribution to peace in Europe.
The commander of the EUFOR ALTHEA mission is the Austrian Major General Helmut Habermayer.
The stakes
The basis for the deployment of the international peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina is regulated in the Dayton Treaty and UN Resolution 2384. Because, in addition to Kosovo, the peaceful development of Bosnia and Herzegovina is of particular importance to Austria, the Federal Army has been involved in the mission since 1996.
Since December 1995, the operation has been under NATO command and was called IFOR (“Implementation Force”), and from December 1996 SFOR (“Stabilization Force”). At the end of 2004, the EU took over the mission, which has since been called EUFOR ALTHEA.
Questions & Contact:
Federal Ministry of National Defense
Press department
+43 664-622-1005
presse@bmlv.gv.at
@Bundesheerbauer
1699145505
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