KSPAGT XI

The 11th Spanish Battalion Task Force "Castillejos" took full control of the Spanish area of responsibility on 9th April 2004, after relieving the 10th Battalion Task Force "Extremadura".

In a ceremony that took place on Base "España" in Istok, the delivery of the guidon of Task Force TIZONA, generic name given to the Spanish Task Force within the NATO framework, to colonel Alfonso de La Rosa Morena symbolises the transfer of authority between both task forces.

The new Spanish Battalion Task Force is made up of 575 men and women, with core troops from 2nd Cavalry Brigade "Castillejos" (2nd BRC) based in Zaragoza, under the command of Colonel Alfonso de la Rosa Morena, Commander of the 9th Light Armoured Cavalry Regiment "Numancia", which is made up the following Units:

• Command Headquarters, with core troops from 2nd BRC.
• Command Support Element (from differect Spanish uints).
• Three Mechanized Cavalry Companies, with the active participation of all the 2nd BRC Regiments.
• Light Cavalry Company.
• A Service Company.
• Base/Quartering Support Unit.
• Signal Unit, core troops taken from the 2nd BRC Signal Unit.
• Engineer Unit.
• Intelligence Unit.
• Civic-Military Cooperation Unit (CIMIC) from the Canary Islands Command.
• Civil Guard Military Police Unit (from various Spanish units).

The ceremony took place on base "ESPAÑA" in Istok and was presided over by General Alberto Primicerj, Commander of the Multinational Brigade Southwest, who was received with due honours.

Among the authorities invited, it is noteworthy to point out the presence of the Commanders of other brigade Task Forces, the various representatives of the minorities and ethnic groups in the locality, as well as the president of the Istok municipality, Fadil Ferati, who was unable to attend but had a personal interview with colonel Martín Aragonés yesterday.

The new battalion task force will be fully operative after finalizing the last rotation, expected for 10th April.

The 575 members of Battalion Task Force "Castillejos" will undertake, as part of UN resolution 1244, labours to pacify the Opstina (municipality) region in Istok in the northwest of Kosovo, by colaborating in the integration of the different ethnic groups that coexist in their area of action, as well as by assuring the resettlement of the Serb community in the Osojane valley and the nearby locality of Suvi Lukavac, along with the freedom of movements in the Serb enclaves of Crkolez and Suvo Grlo and the protection of the orthodox monastery in Goriok.

Other fundamental labours will be the distribution of humanitarian aid from Spain and the dissemination of Spanish culture and language through various programmes.