IFOR

On 20th December 1995 at 12:00 PM the transfer of authority (TOA) between UNO and NATO took place.

The change in authority of the operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina from UNROFOR (UNO) to IFOR (NATO) meant a substantial qualitative jump in the attitude of the forces involved.

For the first time in Bosnia and Herzegovina there was transition to a peace enforcement operation with determined rules of engagement and a clearly defined, single chain of command.

During 1996 IFOR achieved imposing the military conditions of the Dayton Accords, and at the end of that year, as a continuation of the implementation operation and in response to the request by the Security Council of the United Nations, the North Atlantic Council authorised an operation to dissuade the renewal of hostilities and stabilise peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A Stabilisation Force (SFOR), whose mission was to consolidate previous achievements, contribute to maintaining a secure environment and support civilian organisations, would lead this operation.

During the period between November 1999 and March 2000, the success of SFOR has permitted an important reduction in the forces deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, reducing the military profile of the operation and focusing its function on dissuasion.

The participation of Spanish troops in the operation during this period has continued to be centred on the same area of responsibility, with Mostar as the focal point, and it is the only force deployed in areas of all three communities, Croat, Bosnian and Serb.

Its actions have been carried out in accordance with the orders received from the NATO command chain according to the conditions of the Transfer of Authority, which the JEMAD effected to SACEUR, the successive JEMAD Operations Plans and those derived from the Army Chief of Staff as Commander of the Ground Operations Command (CMOT).

As significant occurrences in this planning process it is outstanding to note JEMAD's retention of the Operative Command of the forces (OPCOM), which until then had been delegated in JEME/CMOT, and the inclusion of the Manoeuvre Force in the nationally driven chain of this operation.

The Spanish force entity has experienced few changes, contributing various personnel to the SFOR Headquarters in Sarajevo and to the Multinational Division Southeast in Mostar.

Various units were also contributed to the Division Troop Core, such as an engineer company, a helicopter detachment, and three special reconnaissance patrols.

This Division contains the Spanish Brigade (SPABRI), which includes the bulk of our ground force. The successive brigades have been progressively reducing personnel, in accordance with the lower profile of the military operations.

It is foreseen that during December 1999 a Battalion Task Force composed of a single Battalion will provide relief.