| Part of the |
| 1997 Albanian civil unrest |
|---|
| Fighting groups |
| Gangs of 1997 |
| Massacres in 1997 |
| Tragedies of 1997 |
| Treasury thefts |
| Rescue missions |
| UN Resolutions |
| Important events |
| See also |
Operation Alba ("Sunrise" or "Dawn" in Italian) was a multinational peacekeeping force sent to Albania in 1997. Led by Italy, it was intended to help the Albanian government restore law and order during the Albanian Civil War.[1]
Beginning in early 1997, the Albanian government lost control of much of their country, culminating in the desertion of many police and military units and the looting of their armories. The resulting chaos caused several countries to autonomously evacuate their nationals from Albania, which prompted concerns about the fate of others. The United Nations Security Council consequently adopted Resolution 1101 to establish an operation that would stabilize the situation. The Italian 3rd Army Corps assumed responsibility for the stop-gap mission as Operation Alba, the first multinational Italian-led mission since World War II. The eleven nations that participated in this operation were Austria (60 troops), Belgium (15), Denmark (110), France (950), Greece (800 or 803[2]), Italy (3800), Portugal, Romania (400), Slovenia (20), Spain (350) and Turkey (760).[2][3]
Beginning on April 15, 7,265 troops were deployed under the command of the operation[4] - of which more than half were Italian nationals - and quickly restored order in Tirana. The primary objectives of the mission included apprehending criminals and collecting looted weapons, but in later months operation troops also helped retrain Albanian forces to modern standards. Operation Alba finally concluded in August, as the last troops were withdrawn from the country.[1]