Kosovo Force
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see KFOR (disambiguation).
The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a NATO-led international force responsible for establishing a safe and secure environment in Kosovo. KFOR entered Kosovo on June 12 1999 under a United Nations mandate, two days after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1244. As of 2006, KFOR consisted of approximately 17,000 troops.
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[edit] Objectives
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The objectives of KFOR are to establish and maintain a secure environment in Kosovo, including public safety and order; to monitor, verify and when necessary, enforce compliance with the agreements that ended the conflict; and to provide assistance to the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). The Contact Group countries have said publicly that KFOR will remain in Kosovo even after Kosovo's future status is determined (i.e., whether it becomes independent or remains part of Serbia).
[edit] Structure
KFOR contingents were originally grouped into regionally-based multinational brigades. The brigades were responsible for a specific area of operations, but under a single chain of command under the authority of Commander KFOR. Beginning in 2005, KFOR transitioned to a more flexible Task Force structure, which allows the Commander of KFOR (COMKFOR) to more easily deploy units out of the regions where they are based.
[edit] Contributing nations
At its height, KFOR troops numbered 50,000 and came from 39 different NATO / Non-NATO nations. The nations contributing the most personnel to KFOR at the time included:<ref>[1]</ref>
- Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom (19,000 troops)
- Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States (7,000)
- Image:Flag of France.svg France (7,000)
- Image:Flag of Germany.svg Germany (6,000)
- Image:Flag of Italy.svg Italy (5,000)
- Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia (3,000?)
- Image:Flag of the Netherlands.svgThe Netherlands (2,000)
- Image:Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine (1,300)
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg Spain (1,200)
Other contributing NATO Nations include Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Turkey.
Other contributing non-NATO Nations have included Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Morocco, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sweden, Switzerland, Mongolia and the United Arab Emirates.
[edit] See also
- UNPROFOR
- IFOR
- SFOR
- EUFOR
- Kosovo Protection Corps
- Kosovo Police Service
- NATO
- NATO Medal
- Peacekeeping
- Camp Bondsteel
[edit] References and external links
- KFOR official site (NATO)
- K-For: The task ahead (From BBC News)
- 'Nato force 'feeds Kosovo sex trade' - The Guardian
- More commanders of KFOR e.g. MNTF, nations (in german only)da:KFOR
de:KFOR es:KFOR eo:KFOR fr:KFOR nl:Kosovo Force ja:KFOR no:KFOR pl:KFOR sq:KFOR sl:KFOR fi:KFOR sv:KFOR


