Operation Alba

Belligerents

Italy (leader)

Turkey Criminals in AlbaniaCommanders and leaders

Guido Venturoni

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 1997 Albanian civil unrest.

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 (UNSC) 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. Overall, 7,265 troops of multiple countries were deployed under the command of the operation—from Austria (60 troops), Belgium (15), Denmark (110), France (950), Greece (800 or 803), Italy (3800), Portugal (4), Romania (400), Slovenia (20), Spain (350) and Turkey (760).

Operation Alba began on 15 April, and the troops quickly restored order in Tirana. The mission's primary objectives included apprehending criminals and collecting looted weapons, but in later months, the troops also helped retrain Albanian forces to modern standards. The operation concluded on 8 August, and the last troops withdrew from the country on the 10th.