9th Parachute Assault Regiment - Modern Operational History

Modern Operational History

• In 1982, Italian paratroopers of the 9th took part in the multi-national UN-sponsored mission of establishing peace and security in parts of Lebanon that were shattered by years of civil war. The Italians achieved great operational success, and were widely praised for their work.

• In May 1991, the humanitarian crisis precipitated by Saddam Hussein led to hundreds of thousands of Kurd refugees in northern Iraq. The 9th was deployed to assist the people fleeing Saddam, following his defeat in the 1990–91 Persian Gulf War.

• Mafia assassinations of top Italian magistrates in 1992 resulted in the deployment of military forces to Sicily, including the 9th.

• From late 1992 to late 1993, the 9th was deployed to Somalia in Operation Restore Hope, a UN mission to alleviate the suffering of the Somali people, who were deeply affected by the on-going civil war. The "Nono" participated in the battle of "Check point Pasta".

• In 1994, rescue mission of civilians in Rwanda.

• The 9th was deployed within the IFOR to keep the peace in Bosnia following the Dayton Peace Accords of 1995. They served numerous tours of duty. They were also dispatched several times to Kosovo, following the NATO-Serbian War in 1999.

• Additional recent operations include a tour in Albania, following the near-collapse of the Albanian government in 1997, and an operation in East Timor, following that country's referendum for independence from Indonesia.

• In Afghanistan, the Incursori provides support of Italian troops engaged in ISAF. And in the Task Force 45.

• In Iraq, Operation Antica Babilonia (Italian contingent of Multinational force 2003 - 2006) includes a section of special forces operatives, from the 9th, the Carabinieri's GIS and the Navy's COMSUBIN, mostly deployed for patrol missions, training local police and Army, and to arrest suspects of terrorism.

• During 2011 military intervention in Libya, at least 40 commandos (maybe more) were sent on the ground to train, coordinate, assist in fighting alongside the rebels and for illuminating targets for NATO aircraft.