Operation BRONZE

Operation BRONZE is the deployment of Canadian Forces personnel to serve with Task Force Balkans, the Canadian contingent at NATO Headquarters Sarajevo , (NHQSa), which was established in December 2004 at the end of the successful NATO Stabilisation Force (SFOR) mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The primary focus of NHQSa is defence reform, especially to facilitate the re-integration of veterans of the Balkan wars into civil society, and the entry of Bosnia-Herzegovina into NATO’s Partnership for Peace program.

NHQSa also undertakes operational tasks such as counter-terrorism and support to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia with regard to the detention of persons indicted for war crimes, and sharing intelligence with the European Union Force (EUFOR-Althea).

Canadian military observers began deploying to the Balkans in September 1991 under Operation BOLSTER, and large troop deployments began in February 1992 under Operation HARMONY, Canada’s participation in the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR). NATO took over the peace-support task in 1995 with the one-year Implementation Force (IFOR), to which Canada contributed under Operation ALLIANCE, and in 1996 the longer-term SFOR was established. Canada’s participation in SFOR, conducted under Operation PALLADIUM, began with more than 1,300 personnel: an infantry battalion group with tactical helicopter support, an armoured reconnaissance squadron, an engineer squadron, an administrative company, a National Support Element and a National Command Element. Over the years, as the security situation improved and institutions of government took hold in Bosnia-Herzegovina, SFOR — including its Canadian contingent — gradually decreased in size while adjusting its capabilities to help the Bosnian people rebuild their society and its infrastructure.

The current established strength of Task Force Balkans is six CF members.