Start date August 22, 2001 | Location Macedonia (FYROM) | |
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Operation Essential Harvest (or Task Force Harvest) was a deployment mission in the Republic of Macedonia by NATO, officially launched on August 22, 2001 and effectively started on August 27. Because national contributions were larger than expected, the force ultimately grew to approximately 4800 troops.
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Background
"Although France was not a member of the NATO integrated command structure, then President Chirac had begun to reintegrate into the military structure of the Alliance in order to allow for French participation in combined operations in Bosnia under NATO command. . . . At the summit in Freiburg on 12 June, Chirac's suggestion for military cooperation with German units within NATO was confirmed by Schröder and put in place by the foreign and defence ministers of the two countries on 5 July. Both countries cooperated in NATO Operation Essential Harvest – two German, two French and one Spanish companies were placed under the overall French Command."
Battle of Tetovo
The Battle of Tetovo occurred in the beginning of January 2001 which also involved NATO and the Macedonian Armies to destabilise and disarm Albanian insurgents during their raids of certain Republic of Macedonia cities, towns and villages. This battle lasted until November 2001.