71st Special Battalion
| 71st Special Battalion (Jordan) | |
|---|---|
| (الكتيبة الخاصة 71 (الأردن | |
 Emblem of the 71st Special Battalion | |
| Active | 1973 - present |
| Country |  Jordan |
| Branch | .png){kind=small} Jordanian Armed Forces |
| Type | Special forces |
| Size | Battalion |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Lt. col. Raad Amairah |
71st Special Battalion or 71st Counter Terrorism Battalion is a Jordanian Special Forces battalion that specializes in combating terrorism. Established in 1973, it is today known as being one of the best trained special forces units in the Middle East.[1]
Operations
The battalion is thought to have participated in several operations.[2]
In 1977, they participated in ending a hotel siege in Amman.[3]
In 2006, following 2005 Amman Bombings, the battalion collaborated with the Jordanian intelligence agents in several operations which included the capture of Ziad Khalaf Raja al-Karbouly in Iraq.[4]
In 2013, Crown prince Hussein participated in a training session with the 71st battalion members.[5]
On 22 June 2014, responding to the threat of ISIS which captured the Iraqi city of Ar Rutba not far from the Jordanian border, the unit was dispatched to the area.[6]
On 1 March 2016, the unit clashed with extremist militias in the city of Irbid in northern Jordan as part of the General Intelligence Directorate attempt to foil a terrorist plot against military and civilian targets in Jordan by ISIS affiliates.[7]
The battalion was dispatched to the Kerak Castle, during the events of the 2016 Al-Karak attack.[8]
External links
71st Special Battalion exercise video
References
- ^ "Inside Jordan's elite fighting force – CNN Security Clearance - CNN.com Blogs". Security.blogs.cnn.com. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- ^ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Jordan: The Special Forces or Special Operations of the Jordanian Armed Forces". Refworld. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- ^ Bennett, R M (2011). Elite Forces. Virgin Books. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- ^ "Jordan faces growing Salafist-jihadist threat - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- ^ "تدريبات الامير الحسين بن عبدالله الثاني ولي العهد مع الكتيبة الخاصة ٧١". YouTube. 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- ^ Schenker, David (July 13, 2014). "Countering the ISIS Threat to Jordan". WINEP.
- ^ http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/king-attends-funeral-fallen-officer-jordanians-hail-success-anti-terror-operation#sthash.t4YH2yb7.dpuf
- ^ "Canadian killed in shootout at Jordanian castle, other tourists held hostage". Reuters. 18 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.