Multinational Specialized Unit
{{Short description|Italian Carabinieri unit}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Multinational Specialized Unit
| native_name =
| image = File:MSU logo 2013.png
| image_size =200px
| caption = KFOR-MSU Coat of Arms, 2013.
| dates = 1998-present
| country ={{ITA}}
| countries =
| allegiance = {{Flag|NATO|name=NATO}}
| branch =20px Carabinieri
| type =Gendarmerie
| role = Military missions abroad
| size =Regiment
various sizes
| command_structure =Carabinieri Mobile Units Division
SFOR
KFOR
MNF-I
| garrison =
| garrison_label =
| nickname = MSU
| patron =
| motto = Una vis
(One strength)
Nei Secoli Fedele
(Faithful throughout the centuries)
| colors = Blue, red and black.
| colors_label =
| march = La Fedelissima (The Ever Faithful)
by Luigi Cirenei
| mascot =
| anniversaries = 5 June, Carabinieri Day
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles = Operation Joint Endeavour;
Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Operation Allied Harbour;
Operation Ancient Babylon;
Operation Joint Guardian;
Operation Joint Enterprise
| battles_label = Military operations
| decorations =
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| disbanded =
| flying_hours =
| website = [http://www.carabinieri.it Carabinieri.it]
| current_commander =Col. Stefano Fedele
| commander1 =
| commander1_label = Commander of KFOR-MSU
| commander2 = Col. Ruggiero Capodivento
| commander2_label = Noteworthy commanders
| commander3 =
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}}
File:Multinational Specialized Unit - Logo - San Giorgio.png-MSU Logo, 2013.]]
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.{{Cite web|url=https://jfcnaples.nato.int/kfor/about-us/units/msu|title=KFOR | MSU|website=jfcnaples.nato.int}}
After its creation in 1998, MSU units took part in many different NATO operations, in Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia Herzegovina and Iraq.
History
File:MSU Carabinieri 2019.jpg-MSU Carabinieri with two RG-12 during a crowd and riot control exercise in Kosovo.(2019).]]
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 =
{{See also|Implementation Force|Stabilisation Force in 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nato.int/sfor/factsheet/msu/t040809a.htm|title=NATO/SFOR Informer: MULTINATIONAL SPECIALIZED UNIT}}
= Albania =
{{See also|Operation Allied Harbour}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.carabinieri.it/arma/oggi/missioni-all%27estero/vol-ii-1936---2001/parte-iii/dal-1999/albania|title=Albania|website=www.carabinieri.it}}
= Iraq =
{{See also|Iraq War|Operation Ancient Babylon}}
File:MILITAR DIN BATALIONUL 265 POLITIE MILITARA IN IRAK.jpgman, member of MSU, in Iraq. (2003).]]
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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.difesa.it/Ministro/Compiti_e_Attivita/Comunicati38/2003-11/Pagine/Iraq_Esplosione_a_Nassyria_p_229Carabinieri.aspx|title=Ministero della Difesa - Iraq: Esplosione a Nassyria presso il Comando MSU dell'Arma dei Carabinieri|website=www.difesa.it}}
== MSU-IRAQ Commanders ==
- Col. Georg Di Pauli (June-November 2003)
- Col. Carmelo Burgio (November 2003-March 2004)
- Col. Luciano Zubani (2004)
- Col. Claudio D'Angelo (2004)
- Col. Paolo Nardone (2004-2005)
- Col. Sebastiano Comitini (2005-2006)
- ...
= Kosovo =
{{See also|Kosovo War|Kosovo Force}}
File:MSU Carabinieri Winter 2018.jpg KFOR-MSU patrol in Mitrovica, Kosovo. (2018).]]
File:Mitrovica tank.jpg MSU Pandur I near the New Bridge, in Mitrovica, Kosovo. (2011).]]
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.
File:MSU Mitrovica Manbox - Ibar Bridge summer 2019.jpg-MSU Carabinieri patrols, in front of the Ibar Bridge, in Mitrovica, Kosovo. (2019).]]
From 1999 to 2013 the French National Gendarmerie, Estonian Military Police and Austrian Military Police were also part of the MSU. Since 2013 it is composed entirely of the Italian Carabinieri and its main mission is to patrol the entire city of Mitrovica 24/7, in particular the New Bridge.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/world/europe/kosovo-serbia.html|title=New York Times (USA) In Kosovo, a Peace Built on Separation |work=The New York Times |accessdate=2019-10-04 | date=2018-01-30|last1=Santora |first1=Marc }}
Since 2022 a unit of Army of the Czech Republic Military Police is part of the MSU regiment.
The KFOR-MSU Regiment is commanded by Italian Carabinieri brigadier general Ruggiero Capodivento.{{Cite web|url=https://jfcnaples.nato.int/kfor/about-us/units/msu/msu-commander|title=KFOR | MSU Commander|website=jfcnaples.nato.int}}{{Cite web|url=https://jfcnaples.nato.int/kfor/media-center/archive/news/2018/msu-change-of-command|title=KFOR | MSU Change of Command|website=jfcnaples.nato.int}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.osservatorelibero.it/2023/07/28/carabinieri-promosso-generale-capodivento-msu-kosovo/|title=CARABINIERI: PROMOSSO GENERALE CAPODIVENTO (MSU KOSOVO)|website=www.osservatorelibero.it|date=27 July 2023 |language=it-IT|accessdate=2023-07-28}}
== KFOR-MSU Commanders ==
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Commanders list ! Precedence!!Commander!!Portrait!!Start of tenure!!End of tenure | ||||
| 1 | Col. Vincenzo Coppola, ITA | July 22, 1999 | July 18, 2000 | |
| 2 | Col. Leonardo Leso, ITA | July 19, 2000 | April 23, 2001 | |
| 3 | Col. Emanuele Garelli, ITA | April 24, 2001 | May 3, 2002 | |
| 4 | Col. Georg Di Pauli, ITA | May 4, 2002 | June 9, 2003 | |
| 5 | Col. Claudio Cordella, ITA | June 10, 2003 | July 22, 2004 | |
| 6 | Col. Giuseppe Lanzillotti, ITA | July 23, 2004 | July 28, 2005 | |
| 7 | Col. Flavio Garello, ITA | July 29, 2005 | August 23, 2006 | |
| 8 | Col. Domenico Libertini, ITA | August 24, 2006 | August 26, 2007 | |
| 9 | Col. Andrea Guglielmi, ITA | August 27, 2007 | September 10, 2008 | |
| 10 | Col. Angelo De Quarto, ITA | September 11, 2008 | September 8, 2009 | |
| 11 | Col. Gianni Massimo Cuneo, ITA | September 9, 2009 | September 8, 2010 | |
| 12 | Col. Eduardo Russo, ITA | September 9, 2010 | September 8, 2011 | |
| 13 | Col. Mauro Isidori, ITA | September 9, 2011 | December 1, 2012 | |
| 14 | Col. Mario Di Iulio, ITA | December 2, 2012 | December 7, 2013 | |
| 15 | Col. Gregorio De Marco, ITA | December 8, 2013 | February 11, 2015 | |
| 16 | Col. Francesco Maria Chiaravallotti, ITA | February 12, 2015 | October 13, 2015 | |
| 17 | Col. Paolo Coletta, ITA | October 14, 2015 | October 13, 2016 | |
| 18 | Col. Fabio Cagnazzo, ITA | October 14, 2016 | September 11, 2017 | |
| 19 | Col. Marco DI Stefano, ITA | September 12, 2017 | September 14, 2018 | |
| 20 | Col. Ruggiero Capodivento, ITA | File:Ruggiero Capodivento.jpg | September 15, 2018 | October 16, 2019 |
| 21 | Col. Paolo Pelosi, ITA | October 17, 2019 | ... | |
| 22 | Col. Enio Simone, ITA | ... | ... | |
| 23 | Col. Stefano Fedele, ITA | February 02, 2021 | January 27, 2022[https://jfcnaples.nato.int/kfor/about-us/units/msu/msu-commander Kfor - MSU Com 2021] | |
| 24 | Col. Maurizio Mele, ITA | January 28, 2022 | January 26, 2023 | |
| 25 | Col. Massimo Cucchini, ITA | January 26, 2023 | February 7, 2023 | |
| 26 | Gen. B. Ruggiero Capodivento, ITA | File:Generale Capodivento.jpg | February 8, 2022 | present |
== KFOR-MSU Vehicles ==
See also
References
{{reflist}}