Headquarters Task Force Bosnia-Herzegovina Velika Kladusa, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Backgrounder Documentation
TFBH BG-Roto 12 03.001 April 2, 2003

OPERATION PALLADIUM: CANADIANS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

Canada is part of the NATO mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, known as Stabilization Force, or SFOR. Canadian troops first entered the country as part of the United Nations Protection Force, or UNPROFOR, during the civil war, which tore Yugoslavia apart in the early 1990s. With the signing of the General Frame work Agreement for Peace at Dayton, Ohio in 1995, NATO led a multinational force, known as Implementation Force or IFOR, into the country to ensure the parties kept the peace. This force was 60,000 strong at first, but has undergone several reductions and a name change. The present SFOR has a strength approaching 12,000, of whom 1,450 are Canadian, both military and civilian. The mission of SFOR is to enforce peace and deter hostilities by maintaining a safe and secure environment to enable national institutions to grow and function within Bosnia-Herzegovina. Specifically, it enables the people in the towns and villages to go about their daily lives without fear. Although the fighting ended years ago, it remains a dangerous place, with an estimated one million land mines still to be cleared, and civil structures such as the police, judiciary and municipal government struggling to reach European standards. SFOR is part of a much larger effort by the international community to assist Bosnia-Herzegovina in reshaping itself as a democratic European nation. Each six- month turnover by the Canadians is called a rotation, or Roto. The current rotation which commenced its duties in April 2003 is the twelfth, thus it is referred to as Roto 12. The Canadian contribution to the overall SFOR mission is called Operation PALLADIUM. The total Canadian contingent is known as Task Force Bosnia-Herzegovina, or TFBH. Its national headquarters and support base is located at Camp Black Bear in the community of Velika Kladusa, in the northwestern corner of the country, almost on the border with Croatia. Command and support organizations include the National Command Element, the National Support Element, a Griffon helicopter detachment, a Health Services Platoon, Military Police Platoon Headquarters, and a Canadian Forces National Investigation Services Detachment. Working with these military organizations, are deployed employees of the CF Personnel Support Agency (CFPSA) and of ATCO Frontec which, since September 2000, provides support services to our troops. There are also about 300 locally engaged civilian employees on Canadian camps.

Information: (613) 996-2353/54 After hours: (613) 792-2973 World Wide Web: www.forces.ca Renseignements : (613) 996-2353/54 Aprs les heures de travail : (613) 792-2973 Site Internet : www.forces.ca

The core of Canadas contribution is called a battle group, which is made up of an infantry battalion and numerous attached sub-units, which provide reconnaissance, engineering, and logistical support. The Canadian battle group is part of Multinational Brigade Northwest, which has its headquarters in Banja Luka. The division also contains Dutch and British battle groups, and is commanded in rotation by a brigadier general from one of the three nations. The Canadian area of responsibility is in the northwest corner of Bosnia-Herzegovina, an area of about 6,000 square kilometres, or slightly larger than the size of Prince Edward Island. Canadas main activities are patrolling our area of responsibility mounted and dismounted, seizure of illegal weapons, enforcing armed forces compliance and monitoring weapons storage sites, monitoring all Displaced Persons and Refugees (DPRE) hotspots, compliance with the Dayton Accords, civilmilitary cooperation, show force by participating in Canadian and multinational exercises, support United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the European Union Police Monitors (EUPM). Our presence allows the country to focus on rebuilding schools, roads, power, sewage etc. We support local authorities in collecting weapons from the population and assist them in any way possible, within our mandate. Our troops have also greatly improved the standard of living of many people here through community projects and by distributing goods donated by the people of Canada. Quick Facts : More than 40,000 Canadians have served over a decade in the Balkans in three different missions: April 1992 - December 1995 United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) 1996 NATO Implementation Force (IFOR) 1996-present NATO Stabilization Force (SFOR) 21 personnel have died in the line of duty in the Balkans. Canadian Area of Responsibility (AOR): 180 kilometres from north to south - 6 hours to drive in good weather and up to 12 hours or even more in bad conditions 6000 square kilometres (slightly larger than Prince Edward Island) There are five Canadian camps: Velika Kladusa (Camp Black Bear), Zgon (Camp Maple Leaf), Drvar, Bihac, and Glamoc. Canadians also live in three international camps (Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Sipovo) and at two Radio Rebroadcast sites (Mount Gola and Gos Peak) The terrain is rugged and mountainous Mines still cover 400 square kilometres (de- mined to date - only 32 square kilometres) 800,000 mines still present in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the current rate, it will take more than 80 years to de- mine Bosnia. - 30 -

Information: (613) 996-2353/54 After hours: (613) 792-2973 World Wide Web: www.forces.ca Renseignements : (613) 996-2353/54 Aprs les heures de travail : (613) 792-2973 Site Internet : www.forces.ca