Operation Libelle

Operation Dragonfly
Part of the 1997 Albanian riots, 1997
Map showing the route of the German helicopters
Date March 13–14, 1997 Location Tirana, Albania Result German Success
Belligerents
Germany	Albanian Insurgents
Commanders and leaders
Col Henning Glawatz	Unknown
Strength
> 100	Unknown
Casualties and losses
No casualties 1 helicopter damaged	Unknown number of wounded No reported deaths

Operation Dragonfly, in German Operation Libelle, was an evacuation operation of the German Armed Forces in the Albanian capital Tirana on March 14, 1997. In the same week, American, British and Italian military forces evacuated their citizens from Albania. Operation Libelle is the first time since World War II that German infantry soldiers fired shots in combat.

In March 1997 riots spread across Albania after the collapse of the financial system which drove the country into a serious economical and social crisis. This crisis culminated in a massive civil disorder known as the Lottery Uprising. Thousands of people had lost their entire savings after all pyramids of the usurers had collapsed. The people then rioted in the streets. After army and police weapons depots were looted by insurgents, some 1500 people had been killed. Albania quickly became dangerous for foreign nationals residing there. On March 11 all foreigners were instructed to leave Albania; Italian and U.S. forces conducted initial evacuation operations. By midday of March 13 it was no longer possible to leave the country by conventional means as the rioters had substantively disrupted national peace and order. With nowhere to go 98 persons fled to the German embassy, which had not yet evacuated.

March 13

March 14

The German parliament gave its subsequent permission on March 19.

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Wikipedia