Britains Small Wars - Kosovo (1999)

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Britains Small Wars - Kosovo (1999)

Operation Joint Guardian

After 3 months of continuous NATO bombing, 4th June saw the Serbian Parliament accept a G8 peace agreement. Talks between Serbian and NATO generals for the Serbian withdrawal from Kosovo began on 5th June at an Albanian border town and the Serbian evacuation of Kosovo was to be completed within seven days. NATO bombing continued until evidence of Serbian withdrawal was confirmed. 6th June saw a detachment of the Parachute Regiment leave for the Balkans as the first reinforcements for the NATO peacekeeping force when the peace plan went ahead.
The Serbian military continued to stall the peace plan, and on Tuesday 8th June, G8 countries drafted a peace proposal and Russia offered troops for the peace implementation force but NATO bombing continued.
Serbia finally signed the G8 peace plan on Thursday 10th June after 79 days of continuous air strikes, and NATO air strikes were suspended on Friday. In the early hours of Saturday, Russian troops reached Pristina, while British troops were delayed waiting for US troops to reach the Kosovo border.


Crown Copyright NATO troops, spearheaded by the British and French, entered Kosovo at 4.10am (British time) with Ghurkhas and Parachute Regiment troops being airlifted into position above the roads leading to Pristina. The armoured core was spearheaded by a reconnaissance element of the Royal Hussars, aided by Combat Engineers and delays were experienced in the advance by booby traps and mines. NATO helicopters covered the entire advance.