Albanian Land Force Forca Tokësore |
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Active | 2000–present |
Country | Albania |
Allegiance | Republic of Albania |
Type | Army |
Role | National Defense |
Size | 8,500 (2015) |
Motto(s) | Fatherland, Honor, And Duty |
Commanders | |
President of Albania | Bujar Nishani |
Minister of Defense | Mimi Kodheli |
Chief of the Albanian General Staff | Major General Jeronim Bazo |
Commander of the Land Forces | Brigadier General Nazmi Cahani |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol |
The Albanian Land Force (Albanian: Forca Tokësore të Republikës së Shqipërisë) is a branch of the Albanian Armed Forces.
Its main mission is the defense of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Albania, participation in humanitarian, combat, non-combat and peace support operations.
Land Force is a priority unit in the structure of the Armed Forces. Land Force was established on August 29, 2000, and included military units with traditions and rich multi-year activity, spread across the territory of the Republic of Albania. In 2000 the Land Force included five infantry divisions with 55 brigades and 300 battalions deployed in 167 different regions of the country. During its continuous reform, the Land Force underwent new changes. In 2006 the Land Force was dissolved and the Joint Force Command was established. In the context of the ongoing transformation of the Armed Forces, based on the concept of an army small in number, operational and professional, on the 9th of December 2009 was re-established the Land Force on the basis of Rapid Reaction Brigade and Commando Regiment.
Based on the constitutional mission, the Land Force was involved in a process of profound transformation according to Western military concepts, and with the transition of the entire force from a conscript military service into a professional army its operational level has increased. The structures of Land Force have been engaged in Peace Support Operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq, Chad and currently in Herat and Kandahar, Afghanistan. Land Force has the major share in peacekeeping operations in the framework of NATO, UN and EU. The Land Force is managed by young qualified leaders educated in military schools of NATO countries, as in the United States, Italy, Turkey, Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, etc., based on cooperation projects with these countries.