Special Operations Unit (North Macedonia) Explained

The Special Anti-terrorist Unit is a police unit from North Macedonia.^[2]

History

On March 13, 1981, the unit was established in SR Macedonia (now North Macedonia).^[3] The unit was involved in the 2001 insurgency in Macedonia.^[4] On March 29, Tigers along with the military units Wolves and Scorpions took over Tanuševci. In the battle of Aračinovo, the Tigers and Wolves failed to stop the rebels' defense line. Tigers defended the water supply during the battle of Raduša.^[5] The unit was withdrawn from the battlefield, allegedly due to being sent into battle without adequate support, and refusing to obey orders. During the insurgency, the unit was also involved in the raid and killing of five ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army rebels on August 7 in Skopje.^[6]

According to Institute for War and Peace Reporting in 2002, most of the recruits to the Tigers were members of VMRO-DPMNE, with a significant number having criminal records. 14 Tigers got charged for being involved in a fight in Vinica the same year.^[7] The unit, along with the unit Lions, was recorded assaulting workers, opposition journalists, media personnel, political activists and random civilians, and also threatening opposition politicians.^[8] The unit participated in the 2015 Kumanovo clashes, where eight of its members were killed.^{[9] [10]}

Notable domestic missions

• 2001 insurgency in Macedonia
  • Battle of Aračinovo
  • Battle of Raduša
  • Skopje police raid
• 2007 Operation Mountain Storm
• 2015 Kumanovo clashes

Foreign missions

Serbia

2014 Floods in Serbia^[1] – 24 men and one Mi-17.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

2014 Floods in Bosnia^[1] – 15 men.

See also

• Alpha (Police Unit)
• Special Support Unit
• Rapid Deployment Unit
• Border Police
• Ministry of Internal Affairs
• Police of North Macedonia
• Lake Patrol

External links

• Video about Tigers (in Macedonian)

Notes and References

1. http://mvr.gov.mk/ShowAnnouncements.aspx?ItemID=13280&mid=1367&tabId=358&tabindex=0
2. Web site: "The police of Montenegro and North Macedonia agreed on cooperation in the field of criminal intelligence..." . Vijesti . 2024 .
3. Web site: 40 години од формирањето на Специјалната aнтитерористичка eдиница – Тигар . Ministry of Internal Affairs . mk . 13 March 2021.
4. Book: John Phillips . Macedonia: Warlords and Rebels in the Balkans . 2004 . Yale University Press . 9781860648410 . 113.
5. Andrzej Krzak . Asymmetry of the Albanian-Macedonian Military Conflict in 2001. Military Characteristics of the Fight in the Regions of Tetovo, Kumanovo, Aračinovo and Vaksince . Politeja . 2014 . 303, 307, 311 . 10.12797/Politeja.11.2014.30.23. free .
6. Web site: Defence Academy of the United Kingdom . 2004 . The 2001 Conflict in FYROM-Reflections . 34.
7. Web site: Macedonia: Special Forces "Election Threat" . Institute for War and Peace Reporting . 18 July 2002.
8. Book: Conditioning Democratization: Institutional Reforms and EU Membership Conditionality in Albania and Macedonia . Ridvan Peshkopia . Anthem Press . 9780857283252 . 137.
9. Web site: Macedonia Declares Mourning For Police Killed in Gunbattles . Balkan Insight . 10 May 2015.
10. Web site: Reuters . 11 May 2015 . The Guardian . Violence between Macedonia police and 'terrorists' increases scrutiny of PM .