KSPFOR XXI

Task Force “Peñón de Vélez” (KSPFOR XXI), stationed on “Base España” in the locality of Istok, at the command of Colonel Fernando Ortiz Díaz-Hellín, began its mission on 16th August 2008, with the Transfer of Authority ceremony where it handed over from Task Force “Baleares” II at the command of Colonel Miguel Angel Conde López

The twenty-first Spanish Force for Kosovo is at the disposal of the United Nations through NATO, according to the commitment adopted by Spain owing to United Nations resolution 1244.

In all, Task Force KSPFOR XXI, is made up of 572 service personnel, the bulk, 342, from the Melilla General Command, to be exact, 203 from the 1st Legion Regiment “Gran Capitán”, 57 from the 10th Armoured Cavalry Regiment “Alcantara”, 37 from the 18th Signals Battalion, 13 from the 8th Engineers Regiment and the remainder from various Units in Melilla. Of these, 103 belong to the Coast Artillery Regiment based in San Fernando (Cadiz), and 21 to various Units in Spain.

The Expeditionary Logistics Group, incorporated in the force, is made up of 106 service personnel belonging to the 21st Logistics Support Group from Seville. This is the second time that the Melilla General Command leads a peacekeeping operation; the first was from May to September 2006 in Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina).

The multinational Brigade West Task Force, based in Pec, is made up of Spaniards, Italians, Romanians, Hungarians and Slovenians. The Spanish mission within the Multinational Force framework is:

• Maintain a safe and secure environment in the assigned Area of Responsibility, as well as guarantee the freedom of movements in the same, thus contributing to achieving the security aspects in UN Resolution 1244 and the Accord reached with Serbia.
• Undertake special surveillance in enclaves, resettlements and national heritage sites.
• Co-operate closely with the United Nations Interim Mission in Kosovo Police and the Kosovo Police.
• Provide protection to the Force.

Multinational Brigade Southeast (BMN SW), based in Prizren, has been transformed into two distinct task forces: “South”, which continues in this locality and is made up of Germans, Turks and Austrians; and “West”, made up of Spaniards, Italians, Romanians, Bulgarians and Slovenians. The Spanish mission within the Multinational Force framework is:

• Maintaining a safe and stable environment (SASE) in the assigned Area of Responsibility, as well as guaranteeing freedom of movements in the same, thus contributing to attaining the security levels of UNO Resolution 1244 and the Accord reached with Serbia.
• Undertaking special monitoring of enclaves, resettlements and national heritage sites.
• Co-operating closely with the Police for the Interim United Nations Administrative Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK-P) and the Kosovan Police.
• Providing protection to the Force.