Active 1942 - present Branch Bulgarian Land Forces Size 1,500 | Country Bulgaria Type Special forces | |
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Role Counter-terrorism, Combat Search and rescue, Expeditionary Warfare, Aerial Warfare | ||
The 68th Special Forces Brigade (Bulgarian: 68-а бригада Специални Сили) is a special operations formation of the Bulgarian Land Forces. The 68th SF Brigade is also Bulgaria's principal paratrooper unit and includes the 101st Alpine Battalion, which has participated in all conflicts involving Bulgaria.
History
It was established in 1942 under the name Parashutna druzhina ("Paratrooper battalion"), its initial personnel being 350 soldiers. By January, 1943, these began to receive their training in the city of Braunschweig, in Nazi Germany. The unit was first thrown in combat in 1944, when Bulgaria already changed its allegiance from the Axis to the Allies and the Soviet Union. The Parashutna druzhina fought with the Wehrmacht in Macedonia and the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen, achieving several victories.
The 68th SF Brigade adopted its current structure in 1975, and until 1989 it participated in all Warsaw Pact multi-national exercises.
In modern times, most of Bulgaria's deployments during the Iraq War and the ongoing Afghanistan War came either from 68th and 61st Stryamska Mechanized Brigade units.