Multinational Specialized Unit
Multinational Specialized Unit | |
---|---|
Active | 1998-present |
Country | Italy |
Allegiance | NATO |
Branch | Carabinieri |
Type | Gendarmerie |
Role | Military missions abroad |
Size | Regiment various sizes |
Part of | Carabinieri Mobile Units Division SFOR KFOR MNF-I |
Nickname(s) | MSU |
Motto(s) | Una vis (One strength) Nei Secoli Fedele (Faithful throughout the centuries) |
Colors | Blue, red and black. |
March | La Fedelissima (The Ever Faithful) by Luigi Cirenei |
Anniversaries | 5th of June, Carabinieri Day |
Military operations | Operation Joint Endeavour; Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Operation Allied Harbour; Operation Ancient Babylon; Operation Joint Guardian; Operation Joint Enterprise |
Website | Carabinieri.it |
Commanders | |
Commander of KFOR-MSU | Col. Stefano Fedele |
Noteworthy commanders | Col. Ruggiero Capodivento |
The Multinational Specialized Unit (MSU), is a unit of the Italian Carabinieri, dedicated to the military missions abroad, including the military and civilian police tasks, peacekeeping operations, crowd and riot control.[1]
After its creation in 1998, MSU units took part in many different NATO operations, in Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia Herzegovina and Iraq.
History[]
Initially it has employed members of the 7th Carabinieri Regiment "Trentino-Alto Adige", the 13th Carabinieri Regiment "Friuli-Venezia Giulia" and the 1st Parachute Carabinieri Regiment "Tuscania". During the next years it has employed members from all over Italy, from every other Carabinieri units.
Bosnia and Herzegovina[]
The first mission where MSU was involved was the NATO-SFOR, in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav Wars. MSU was composed by Italian Carabinieri and members of the Romanian Military Police, among soldiers of Austria, Hungary and Slovenia.[2]
Albania[]
After the tension in the Balkan area, during the Yugoslav Wars, in particular in the northern part of Kosovo a MSU detachment was deployed in Albania during Operation Allied Harbor, to aid the country in the refugees management. The mission was codenamed AFOR.[3]
Iraq[]
During the NATO Mission, inside the Multi-National Force – Iraq, MSU was deployed alongside other Italians units. The Italian Mission codename was Operation Ancient Babylon. MSU was composed by Italian Carabinieri, Italian Army liaison officers, members of Romanian Military Police and Portuguese National Republican Guard. During the mission MSU suffered heavy losses, in particular for the 2003 Nasiriyah bombing.[4]
MSU-IRAQ Commanders[]
- Col. Georg Di Pauli (June-november 2003)
- Col. (november 2003-march 2004)
- Col. Luciano Zubani (2004)
- Col. Claudio D'Angelo (2004)
- Col. Paolo Nardone (2004-2005)
- Col. Sebastiano Comitini (2005-2006)
- ...
Kosovo[]
Since 1999, after the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, MSU has been deployed into Kosovo for peacekeeping operations within NATO-KFOR. After years it's still present in the theatre, contributing to maintain peace and stability in the country.[1]
From 1999 to 2013 where part of MSU also the French National Gendarmerie, Estonian Military Police and Austrian Military Police. Since 2013 is composed entirely by the Italian Carabinieri and its main mission its to patrol the entire city of Mitrovica 24/7, in particular the Ibar Bridge.[5]
The KFOR-MSU Regiment was commanded by Italian Carabinieri Colonel Ruggiero Capodivento.[6][7] It is now led by Colonel Stefano Fedele.[8]
KFOR-MSU Commanders[]
Precedence | Commander | Portrait | Start of tenure | End of tenure |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Col. , ITA | July 22, 1999 | July 18, 2000 | |
2 | Col. , ITA | July 19, 2000 | April 23, 2001 | |
3 | Col. , ITA | April 24, 2001 | May 3, 2002 | |
4 | Col. , ITA | May 4, 2002 | June 9, 2003 | |
5 | Col. , ITA | June 10, 2003 | July 22, 2004 | |
6 | Col. , ITA | July 23, 2004 | July 28, 2005 | |
7 | Col. , ITA | July 29, 2005 | August 23, 2006 | |
8 | Col. , ITA | August 24, 2006 | August 26, 2007 | |
9 | Col. , ITA | August 27, 2007 | September 10, 2008 | |
10 | Col. , ITA | September 11, 2008 | September 8, 2009 | |
11 | Col. , ITA | September 9, 2009 | September 8, 2010 | |
12 | Col. , ITA | September 9, 2010 | September 8, 2011 | |
13 | Col. , ITA | September 9, 2011 | December 1, 2012 | |
14 | Col. , ITA | December 2, 2012 | December 7, 2013 | |
15 | Col. , ITA | December 8, 2013 | February 11, 2015 | |
16 | Col. , ITA | February 12, 2015 | October 13, 2015 | |
17 | Col. , ITA | October 14, 2015 | October 13, 2016 | |
18 | Col. , ITA | October 14, 2016 | September 11, 2017 | |
19 | Col. , ITA | September 12, 2017 | September 14, 2018 | |
20 | Col. Ruggiero Capodivento, ITA | September 15, 2018 | October 16, 2019 | |
21 | Col. , ITA | October 17, 2019 | ... | |
22 | Col. , ITA | ... | ... | |
23 | Col. , ITA | February 02, 2021 | present |
KFOR-MSU Vehicles[]
- Land Rover Defender 90
- Land Rover Defender 110
- Land Rover Defender Ambulance
- Fiat Ducato Ambulance
- Land Rover Discovery series II and IV
- Mitsubishi Pajero
- Iveco Daily
- VM90P
- Iveco RG-12
- Iveco LMV
See also[]
- Carabinieri
- Peacekeeping
- Carabinieri Mobile Units Division
- 1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade
- 2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade
- Kosovo Force
- SFOR
- Operation Ancient Babylon
- 2003 Nasiriyah bombing
- Yugoslav Wars
References[]
- ^ a b "KFOR | MSU". jfcnaples.nato.int.
- ^ "NATO/SFOR Informer: MULTINATIONAL SPECIALIZED UNIT".
- ^ "Albania". www.carabinieri.it.
- ^ "Ministero della Difesa - Iraq: Esplosione a Nassyria presso il Comando MSU dell'Arma dei Carabinieri". www.difesa.it.
- ^ "New York Times (USA) In Kosovo, a Peace Built on Separation". 2018-01-30. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
- ^ "KFOR | MSU Commander". jfcnaples.nato.int.
- ^ "KFOR | MSU Change of Command". jfcnaples.nato.int.
- ^ Kfor - MSU Com 2021
External links[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to MSU_Carabinieri. |
- Units and formations of the Carabinieri
- Military units and formations established in 1998
- Military units and formations of NATO
- Kosovo War
- NATO-led peacekeeping in the former Yugoslavia