RENEA
Encyclopedia
The Reparti i Neutralizimit të Elementit të Armatosur ("Unit for the Neutralisation of Armed Elements"), commonly known by its acronym RENEA, is the main Albania
n counter-terrorist and critical incident response unit. The force was constituted the early 1990s in response to the growing crime levels in the country after the fall of communism. RENEA's responsibilities are only rescue operations, counter-terrorism and response to particularly violent forms of crime. Since 1991, the unit has lost three men in action and more than forty wounded. Their skills are highly regarded and well thought-of inside Albania and in the West and are trained by GSG 9
.
, extortion
, prostitution
, murder and illegal trafficking were at an all-time high, and the Albanian fledgling democracy did not have the legal, administrative and organisational experience to combat these problems — in fact its infrastructure was almost non-existent. During communism, the force that was entrusted with CT and other special missions was Unit 326
, but because of its role in suppressing public unrest during the popular uprising against communism
, it had been neglected.
The new public order authorities recognised the need for a small professional force, and after exhaustive trials and training finally established what subsequently came to be known as RENEA. It was also known as Unit 88
. It was composed of eighty members, or operatives, who were elected from the 600 original members of Unit 326. The rest of the operators joined subsequent special intervention groups that came into existence.
SAS
system. In case of an open conflict, the police were expected to assume military duties. However, after the administrative reform of the Albanian Police, such duties were excluded from the police curriculum. Consequently, even RENEA was reorganised, this time modelling itself after sister units such as GSG-9, GIS
, NOCS
, GIGN etc. The tactics are still primarily SAS-based, but not the actual duties. The unit is composed of negotiators, infiltrators
, divers
, rock-climbers, sapper
s, sniper
s and a small nucleus of logistics operatives.
and the National Guard, while the rest are military. The military candidates that pass selection must also complete a six-month course on jurisprudence
. The maximum age for selection is 26 years and candidates are expected to have been members of their respective previous units for no less than two years. The first two weeks are called the "shake-down", in which almost everyone takes part. Only the negotiators and part of the logistics group (not including drivers) are exempted. Candidates undergo long and complicated psychological and durability tests designed to weed out weaker applicants. "Shake-down" is harsh, consisting of forced marches in full combat gear. True to their SAS origins, the operatives must carry a 35 kg (77 lb) backpack, AK-47
with eight full magazines, handgun and magazines, knives, gas mask, and radio. Their training routes take part in the worst weather, in some of the toughest terrain that Albania has to offer: in the northeastern mountain range (the highest peak is Korabi, at 2,751 metres (9,025 feet)), the marshes of Vlora, and the swamps of Durrës
and Lezha. Approximately 75 per cent of the candidates fail at this initial phase. The last day is reserved for infiltration tests. The candidates that have successfully accomplished the first phase are left helpless in some remote part of Albania, at a safe distance from the capital, with 200 commando
s and national guardsmen at their heels. Each is expected to make it back to headquarters in Tirana
unintercepted. If they are caught they go home. Training, preparation and tests change according to the whims of the instructors, who are themselves veterans of the unit. They have a reputation for being unyielding and unmerciful.
Sheepie was the trainer for about 20 years until they deemed his training tactics to hard and inefficient.Ferriku is the actual commander of the unit.
All negotiators must have served for minimum of ten years with the police force and are persons of good temperament and mental balance, with knowledge of all dialects and regional mentalities. They all either have a degree in law or have attended the police academy
. In addition they complete training courses with the FBI
at Quantico
FBI Academy
and with other United States
federal agencies. The negotiators are the first to intervene in cases of an occupation with or without hostages. Nobody intervenes without their explicit order, except in cases when the hostage is already dead.
s, such as the HK MP5, and shotgun
s are also highly regarded. The fighting knives are of mixed origins - Camillus
, Randall
, Gerber
, Fox, and an assortment of locally manufactured products depending on the preferences of the operatives themselves. Knife fighting is a considered vital skill and the operatives are highly trained. RENEA's weaponry is currently being updated and brought in line with weapons that are conventionally used by sister units abroad.
The sniper rifle
is another tool of the trade for RENEA. Initially, the unit favoured the Russia
n Dragunov SVD, which, is still in use with the military and various law enforcement agencies. However, the SVD is actually intended to extend the effective range of fire of infantry squads up to 600 metres. Given the delicate nature of their missions, RENEA reverted to "proper" sniper rifles and currently employs SAKO
TRG-22 and TRG-42 rifles.
Search and rescue training is effected with live ammunition. Operatives themselves simulate the hostage. Many special halls and rooms are built to conduct this type of training, and are known as "SAS Rooms" by the unit. In addition, "Good faith shooting" is practised, which consists of the operatives standing in line facing one another and shooting at targets placed between them. The bulletproof Kevlar
vest and helmet are the same as those used by the German
GSG-9. They are quite heavy, but they can stop a .30-06 projectile. All types of flash-bang
, tear gas and non-lethal ammunition are in the unit's arsenal. British Avalon anti-gas masks, fireproof clothing (the same as used by the Italian
GIS
, and NOCS
), kneepads, fireproof and tear-proof gloves are also used. Most of the personal equipment is of US origins, but a few Italian types are also in use, such as Vega and Radar.
In special situations the use of machine-guns (Russian 7.62 x 39 mm RPDs and 7.62 x 54 mm R
RPK
s) is authorised. Beretta 92FSs, Makarov
s, TT33s, SIG P226
s and P228s, and Israel
i Jericho 941
s are the favourite sidearm
s. Glock 17, Walther P99
s, CZ75s, H&K USPs, and Walther PPK
s can also be found. Vehicles in use include IVECO
vans, Mitsubishi
SUVs, and a motley collection of armoured and private cars, usually donated by sister agencies across Europe. In waterborne operations, Zodiac boats confiscated from traffickers are in use. Depending on the circumstances, the Albanian Navy could place at their disposal various types of boats and other craft. Mil Mi-8
, Puma
and Bell
helicopters are used if a situation demands infiltration by air.
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
n counter-terrorist and critical incident response unit. The force was constituted the early 1990s in response to the growing crime levels in the country after the fall of communism. RENEA's responsibilities are only rescue operations, counter-terrorism and response to particularly violent forms of crime. Since 1991, the unit has lost three men in action and more than forty wounded. Their skills are highly regarded and well thought-of inside Albania and in the West and are trained by GSG 9
GSG 9
The GSG 9 der Bundespolizei , is the elite counter-terrorism and special operations unit of the German Federal Police.-History and name:...
.
Background
Following the emergence of capitalism in Albania after 1990 and in order to eradicate all semblances to and associations with the communist state, many investigators, attorneys and police officers were simply dismissed. This confused situation soon allowed organised and individual crime to flourish to the point that it soon became the norm of everyday life. KidnappingKidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, murder and illegal trafficking were at an all-time high, and the Albanian fledgling democracy did not have the legal, administrative and organisational experience to combat these problems — in fact its infrastructure was almost non-existent. During communism, the force that was entrusted with CT and other special missions was Unit 326
Unit 326
Unit 326 was an Albanian special forces group. It consisted of approximately 600 members. Its duties included counter-terrorism, riot control, search and rescue, and demolition. In some respect its duties were reminiscent of the British SAS...
, but because of its role in suppressing public unrest during the popular uprising against communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, it had been neglected.
The new public order authorities recognised the need for a small professional force, and after exhaustive trials and training finally established what subsequently came to be known as RENEA. It was also known as Unit 88
Unit 88
Unit 88 was a neo-Nazi organisation founded in Wellington by Collin Wilson and it based itself in Auckland, New Zealand. They were most active during 1997-8 and are now defunct...
. It was composed of eighty members, or operatives, who were elected from the 600 original members of Unit 326. The rest of the operators joined subsequent special intervention groups that came into existence.
Composition of the unit
The real number is a highly guarded secret.Initially,it's organisation was military in nature, dividing each team in groups of four, after the reputable BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
system. In case of an open conflict, the police were expected to assume military duties. However, after the administrative reform of the Albanian Police, such duties were excluded from the police curriculum. Consequently, even RENEA was reorganised, this time modelling itself after sister units such as GSG-9, GIS
GIS (disambiguation)
-Places and organizations:* Garden International School, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia* Gippsland Independent Schools, an association of schools in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia* Gisborne Airport, Gisborne, New Zealand...
, NOCS
Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza
The Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza is a special operations division of the Italian state police.-History:In 1974 the Chief of the Polizia di Stato Anti-Terrorism Bureau, Emilio Santillo, announced the necessity to establish a tactical unit with the capability to arrest known terrorists and...
, GIGN etc. The tactics are still primarily SAS-based, but not the actual duties. The unit is composed of negotiators, infiltrators
Infiltration tactics
In warfare, infiltration tactics involve small, lightly equipped infantry forces attacking enemy rear areas while bypassing enemy front line strongpoints and isolating them for attack by follow-up troops with heavier weapons.-Development during World War I:...
, divers
Underwater diving
Underwater diving is the practice of going underwater, either with breathing apparatus or by breath-holding .Recreational diving is a popular activity...
, rock-climbers, sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
s, sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
s and a small nucleus of logistics operatives.
Structure
Organisation:- Support Command
-
- Directory of Operational Movable Forces
- Sector of Planification and Coordination
- Sector of Planification and Analyze
- Unit of Special Forces
- Roles:
- Negotiator
- Anti Explosive Unit
- Negotiation
- CompositionCompositionComposition may refer to:* Composition , in which one assumes that a whole has a property solely because its various parts have that property* Compounding is also known as composition in linguistic literature* in computer science...
- Composition
- Rapid reaction Unit(North unit, Shkodra)
- Rapid reaction Unit(Unit 712, TiranaTiranaTirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
) - Rapid reaction Unit(South unit, FierFierFieri is a city in southwest Albania, in the district and county of the same name. It is located at , and has a population of 82,297 . Fier is from the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Apollonia.-History :...
)
Selection and training
The selection process is held only once a year and lasts twelve weeks. Subsequently, recruits are trained for an additional nine months in other skills such as linguistics, signals, photography, and hostage negotiations. Candidates also continue undergoing strict psychological and physical tests. Only after a period of three years may the recruit become a RENEA operator cleared in participating in hostage rescue operations. About 90 per cent of candidates come from other branches of the policeAlbanian Police
The Albanian State Police is the national police and law enforcement agency which operates throughout the Republic of Albania. The falling down of the Communist system and the setting up of the political pluralism after the year 1991 brought important changes in the structure of the Albanian Police...
and the National Guard, while the rest are military. The military candidates that pass selection must also complete a six-month course on jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
. The maximum age for selection is 26 years and candidates are expected to have been members of their respective previous units for no less than two years. The first two weeks are called the "shake-down", in which almost everyone takes part. Only the negotiators and part of the logistics group (not including drivers) are exempted. Candidates undergo long and complicated psychological and durability tests designed to weed out weaker applicants. "Shake-down" is harsh, consisting of forced marches in full combat gear. True to their SAS origins, the operatives must carry a 35 kg (77 lb) backpack, AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
with eight full magazines, handgun and magazines, knives, gas mask, and radio. Their training routes take part in the worst weather, in some of the toughest terrain that Albania has to offer: in the northeastern mountain range (the highest peak is Korabi, at 2,751 metres (9,025 feet)), the marshes of Vlora, and the swamps of Durrës
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
and Lezha. Approximately 75 per cent of the candidates fail at this initial phase. The last day is reserved for infiltration tests. The candidates that have successfully accomplished the first phase are left helpless in some remote part of Albania, at a safe distance from the capital, with 200 commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
s and national guardsmen at their heels. Each is expected to make it back to headquarters in Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
unintercepted. If they are caught they go home. Training, preparation and tests change according to the whims of the instructors, who are themselves veterans of the unit. They have a reputation for being unyielding and unmerciful.
Sheepie was the trainer for about 20 years until they deemed his training tactics to hard and inefficient.Ferriku is the actual commander of the unit.
The role of the negotiator
From 1991, the unit's negotiators have resolved, without resorting to violence, more than 500 of the 600 cases involving kidnappers and armed occuaptions.All negotiators must have served for minimum of ten years with the police force and are persons of good temperament and mental balance, with knowledge of all dialects and regional mentalities. They all either have a degree in law or have attended the police academy
Police academy
A police academy is a training school for new police recruits, also known as a law enforcement academy.-Australia:Larger police departments usually run their own academies. States often run a centralised academy for training of personnel of law enforcement agencies within the state.Police...
. In addition they complete training courses with the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
at Quantico
Quantico, Virginia
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...
FBI Academy
FBI Academy
The FBI Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia, is the training site for new Special Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was first opened for use in 1972 on 385 acres of woodland. It is a relatively small government academy, housing three dormitory buildings and...
and with other United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
federal agencies. The negotiators are the first to intervene in cases of an occupation with or without hostages. Nobody intervenes without their explicit order, except in cases when the hostage is already dead.
Weaponry and equipment
The force uses a motley collection of weapons. One of the primary tools is undoubtedly the AK-47, which Albania possesses in abundance. However, the unit is also known to have used the HK G3 7.62 mm NATO. Submachine gunSubmachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
s, such as the HK MP5, and shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
s are also highly regarded. The fighting knives are of mixed origins - Camillus
Camillus Cutlery Company
The Camillus Cutlery Company was one of the oldest knife manufacturers in the United States. The Company, which has its roots dating back to 1876, produced millions of knives until it filed for bankruptcy in 2007 due to fierce overseas competition...
, Randall
Randall Made Knives
Randall Made Knives, usually referred to as Randall, is an American manufacturer specializing in custom handcrafted knives founded by Walter Doane "Bo" Randall, Jr. The factory and showroom is located in Orlando, Florida. Randall offers 28 models of knives for different applications, each...
, Gerber
Gerber Legendary Blades
Gerber Legendary Blades is a maker of consumer knives and multitools headquartered in Tigard, Oregon, United States, within the Portland metropolitan area. Currently Gerber is a sub-division of Fiskars Brands Inc, owned by the Fiskars company of Finland...
, Fox, and an assortment of locally manufactured products depending on the preferences of the operatives themselves. Knife fighting is a considered vital skill and the operatives are highly trained. RENEA's weaponry is currently being updated and brought in line with weapons that are conventionally used by sister units abroad.
The sniper rifle
Sniper rifle
In military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military...
is another tool of the trade for RENEA. Initially, the unit favoured the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Dragunov SVD, which, is still in use with the military and various law enforcement agencies. However, the SVD is actually intended to extend the effective range of fire of infantry squads up to 600 metres. Given the delicate nature of their missions, RENEA reverted to "proper" sniper rifles and currently employs SAKO
SAKO
SAKO, Limited is a Finnish firearm manufacturer located in Riihimäki....
TRG-22 and TRG-42 rifles.
Search and rescue training is effected with live ammunition. Operatives themselves simulate the hostage. Many special halls and rooms are built to conduct this type of training, and are known as "SAS Rooms" by the unit. In addition, "Good faith shooting" is practised, which consists of the operatives standing in line facing one another and shooting at targets placed between them. The bulletproof Kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
vest and helmet are the same as those used by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
GSG-9. They are quite heavy, but they can stop a .30-06 projectile. All types of flash-bang
Flash-bang
In warfare Flash bang may refer to:*Flash-bang, variety of hand grenade designed to stun*Flash-bang, method for sound ranging of artillery...
, tear gas and non-lethal ammunition are in the unit's arsenal. British Avalon anti-gas masks, fireproof clothing (the same as used by the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
GIS
Gruppo di Intervento Speciale
Gruppo di Intervento Speciale is an elite Special Operations counter-terrorism tactical response unit inside the Italian Carabinieri military police, first formed in 1978...
, and NOCS
Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza
The Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza is a special operations division of the Italian state police.-History:In 1974 the Chief of the Polizia di Stato Anti-Terrorism Bureau, Emilio Santillo, announced the necessity to establish a tactical unit with the capability to arrest known terrorists and...
), kneepads, fireproof and tear-proof gloves are also used. Most of the personal equipment is of US origins, but a few Italian types are also in use, such as Vega and Radar.
In special situations the use of machine-guns (Russian 7.62 x 39 mm RPDs and 7.62 x 54 mm R
7.62 x 54 mm R
The 7.62×54mmR is a rimmed rifle cartridge developed by the Russian Empire and was introduced as a service cartridge in 1891. Originally designed for the bolt-action Mosin–Nagant rifle, it was used during the late Tsarist era and throughout the Soviet period to the present day...
RPK
RPK
The RPK is a 7.62x39mm light machine gun of Soviet design, developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the late 1950s, parallel with the AKM assault/battle rifle...
s) is authorised. Beretta 92FSs, Makarov
Makarov
-Places:*Makarov, Russia, a town in Sakhalin Oblast, Russia*Makarov, Luhans'ka, Ukraine - populated place N 48° 41' 1 E 39° 31' 7*Makarov, Luhans'ka, Ukraine - populated place N 48° 41' 57 E 39° 29' 20...
s, TT33s, SIG P226
SIG P226
The SIG P226 is a full-sized, service-type pistol made by SIG Sauer. It is chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .357 SIG, and .22 Long Rifle. It is essentially the same basic design of the SIG P220, but developed to use higher capacity, staggered-column magazines in place of the...
s and P228s, and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Jericho 941
Jericho 941
The Jericho 941 is a double action/single action semi-automatic pistol developed by Israel Weapon Industries and introduced to the market in 1990 as the Jericho 941. It was first imported into the US in 1990 by K.B.I., Inc. of Harrisburg, PA. It was later imported by O.F. Mossberg & Sons and named...
s are the favourite sidearm
Sidearm
In baseball, sidearm describes balls thrown along a low, approximately horizontal axis rather than a high, mostly vertical axis ....
s. Glock 17, Walther P99
Walther P99
The Walther P99 is a semi-automatic pistol developed by the German company Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm for law enforcement, security forces and the civilian shooting market as a replacement for the Walther P5 and the P88...
s, CZ75s, H&K USPs, and Walther PPK
Walther PPK
The Walther PP series pistols are blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols.They feature an exposed hammer, a double-action trigger mechanism, a single-column magazine, and a fixed barrel which also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring...
s can also be found. Vehicles in use include IVECO
Iveco
Iveco, an acronym for Industrial Vehicle Corporation, originally an alliance of European commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Fiat , Unic and Magirus. Iveco is now an Italian truck, bus, and diesel engine manufacturer, based in Turin...
vans, Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
SUVs, and a motley collection of armoured and private cars, usually donated by sister agencies across Europe. In waterborne operations, Zodiac boats confiscated from traffickers are in use. Depending on the circumstances, the Albanian Navy could place at their disposal various types of boats and other craft. Mil Mi-8
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
, Puma
Aérospatiale Puma
The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.-Development:...
and Bell
Bell Helicopter Textron
Bell Helicopter is an American rotorcraft manufacturer headquartered in Hurst, Texas, near Fort Worth. A division of Textron, Bell manufactures military helicopter and tiltrotor products in and around Fort Worth, as well as in Amarillo, Texas, and commercial rotorcraft products in Mirabel, Quebec,...
helicopters are used if a situation demands infiltration by air.
Notable missions
- January 1991: In riots at the Shenkoll (Saint Nicholas) maximum security prison, an armed prisoner took several guards hostage. The attention of national and foreign media was drawn to the crisis. The government of the time sent in Unit 326, the predecessor of RENEA, which quelled the riots using tear gas and rubber bullets, without bloodshed. One operative was lightly wounded in the process.
- November 1992: Albania was plagued by massive floods, which inundated many parts of the country. RENEA distributed food and provided shelter and medical assistance for the uprooted via speedboat and helicopter. One operative (killed in the line of duty in August 1993) selflessly dived into the icy waters and saved three drowning shepherds.
- April 1996: In a diplomatic high-level meeting between the Italian presidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Oscar Luigi ScalfaroOscar Luigi ScalfaroOscar Luigi Scalfaro , Italian politician and magistrate, was the ninth President of the Italian Republic from 1992 to 1999, and is currently a senator for life...
and Sali BerishaSali BerishaSali Ram Berisha is an Albanian politician and cardiologist, currently the Prime Minister of Albania and the leader of Democratic Party of Albania ....
in Tirana, a deranged individual armed with a grenade with the safety pin removed sought to approach the two presidents. The two officials were immediately taken away from the scene, while a RENEA negotiator steadily approached the perpetrator and made contact by twisting his arm, taking the grenade from his hand and putting the safety pin back onto the weapon.
- January 1997: A female student in depressive state roamed the streets of Tirana with a grenade in her hand. A RENEA operator approached her and defused the situation without bloodshed.
- 1997: During the crisis that threw Albania in a state of anarchy as a result of the collapse of various pyramid schemePyramid schemeA pyramid scheme is a non-sustainable business model that involves promising participants payment or services, primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, rather than supplying any real investment or sale of products or services to the public...
s, where three quarters of the population lost their savings, RENEA was entrusted with the task of safeguarding the monetary and gold reserves of the National Bank and other financial institutions. RENEA accomplished the task by removing all valuables from the facilities in unarmed IVECO vans. No money was lost in the process. This operation, at a time when many police officers were killed by angry civilians, is remembered by the unit as Operation Kamikaze. During the same year, 90 per cent of all police stations were looted and taken over by armed individuals. RENEA retook possession of these facilities, recalled all officers to work, and re-established communications and security systems. In many cases, the operatives repaired all damaged property themselves.
- 1998–1999: During these years RENEA was engaged in fights with multiple gangs across the nation, which, as a result of the previous year's anarchy, were armed with weaponry ranging from personal equipment to artillery and anti-aircraft batteries looted from military depots.
- July 1998: The unit conducted a CT mission by arresting five EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian terrorists connected to Bin Laden's Al-QaedaAl-QaedaAl-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
.
- March 1999: Three armed criminals murdered three police officers and four civilians. Subsequently they barricaded themselves into a house, taking hostage a couple and their 7 month-old daughter. A RENEA team went in, freed the hostages, and in the process killed the criminals.
- May 1999: An Albanian emigrant in GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, disgruntled over payment with his employer, after complained to the Greek authorities and was escorted to the border and deported to Albania. After buying an AK-47 and two grenades, he returned to Greece and went to ThessalonikiThessalonikiThessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, where he took hostage a bus carrying fourteen people. The Greek government gave him the $250,000 that he had asked for and allowed him to enter Albania with his hostages. Close to Tirana, the negotiators sought to convince him to let the hostages free. He wounded one and was killed in return by a RENEA sniper.
- 1999: Zani Caushi, leader of one of the most ruthless Albanian gangs, was arrested. The same fate befell the senior leaders of many other gangs.
- 1999: A gang that had held hostage and then released a senior police official was arrested.
- 1999: Acting on the request of the Italian government, an individual suspected of the murder of three police officers in UdineUdineUdine is a city and comune in northeastern Italy, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps , less than 40 km from the Slovenian border. Its population was 99,439 in 2009, and that of its urban area was 175,000.- History :Udine is the historical...
was arrested. Although exonerated of this murder, the individual remained behind bars due to other criminal activities.
- 2000–2001: In three separate operations, three individuals sought for the murder of Azem HajdariAzem HajdariAzem Shpend Hajdari was the leader of the student's movement in 1990–1991 that led to the fall of communism in Albania. He then became a politician of the Democratic Party of Albania . Together with Sali Berisha, he symbolizes the start of the democratic era in Albania. He was a member of the...
, an Albanian MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, were arrested. This mission was important because Hajdari was one of the most unorthodox and controversial leaders of the political opposition at the time.
- February 2001: During Operation Journey Italia, RENEA took credit for destroying an Albanian-American gang, which, in partnership with the Medellín drug cartelMedellín CartelThe Medellín Cartel was an organized network of "drug suppliers and smugglers" originating in the city of Medellín, Colombia. The drug cartel operated in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Central America, the United States, as well as Canada and Europe throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It was founded and...
and Italian and Albanian mafiaAlbanian mafiaThe Albanian Mafia or Albanian organized crime are the general terms used for criminal organizations based in Albania or composed of ethnic Albanians. Albanian organized crime is active in Albania, the United States, and the European Union countries, participating in a diverse range of criminal...
, was exploring the possibility of turning Albania into a major international launching pad for the trafficking of cocaineCocaineCocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
. RENEA arrested all suspects, including a former senior police officer.
- January 2002: RENEA destroyed a gang of narcotics traffickers, which was trafficking than 100 kg (202.5 lb) heroin per trip. More than 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) of pure heroin was confiscated.
- 1990–2004: During the last decade and a half, RENEA has provided escort security to such high-level officials as: former United States Secretaries of StateUnited States Secretary of StateThe United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
James BakerJames BakerJames Addison Baker, III is an American attorney, politician and political advisor.Baker served as the Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagan's first administration and in the final year of the administration of President George H. W. Bush...
and Madeleine AlbrightMadeleine AlbrightMadeleine Korbelová Albright is the first woman to become a United States Secretary of State. She was appointed by U.S. President Bill Clinton on December 5, 1996, and was unanimously confirmed by a U.S. Senate vote of 99–0...
, Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, former British Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, and various Italian and Greek prime ministers, in addition to Albanian officials and international officials in government missions in Albania.
Casualties
Over the years (until 2002) the unit has suffered only 3 casualties: specialist Lulezim R. Sulollari (1991), Warrant Officer Arben N. Ujka (1993), Captain Elam S. Elezi (1998).Name
Loosely translated RENEA stands for "Unit for the Neutralisation of Armed Elements", whereby "RE" accounts for REparti (Unit), "N" for Neutralizimit (Neutralisation), "E" for Elementit (Element), and "A" for Armatosur (Armed). A common misconception is the adding of the word "Elimination" to account for the second "E". Therefore the name would get a new meaning: "Unit for the Elimination and Neutralisation of Armed Elements".Fire weapons
- HK417
- HKG3Heckler & Koch G3The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
- TRG-22
- TRG-42
- 7.62 x 39 mm RPD
- 7.62 x 54 mm RPK
- Beretta 92FS
- TT33
- SIG P226SIG P226The SIG P226 is a full-sized, service-type pistol made by SIG Sauer. It is chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .357 SIG, and .22 Long Rifle. It is essentially the same basic design of the SIG P220, but developed to use higher capacity, staggered-column magazines in place of the...
- P228
- Jericho 941Jericho 941The Jericho 941 is a double action/single action semi-automatic pistol developed by Israel Weapon Industries and introduced to the market in 1990 as the Jericho 941. It was first imported into the US in 1990 by K.B.I., Inc. of Harrisburg, PA. It was later imported by O.F. Mossberg & Sons and named...
- Glock 17
- Walther P99Walther P99The Walther P99 is a semi-automatic pistol developed by the German company Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm for law enforcement, security forces and the civilian shooting market as a replacement for the Walther P5 and the P88...
- CZ75
- H&K USP
- Walther PP
Knifes
- Camillus
- RandallRandall Made KnivesRandall Made Knives, usually referred to as Randall, is an American manufacturer specializing in custom handcrafted knives founded by Walter Doane "Bo" Randall, Jr. The factory and showroom is located in Orlando, Florida. Randall offers 28 models of knives for different applications, each...
- GerberGerber Legendary BladesGerber Legendary Blades is a maker of consumer knives and multitools headquartered in Tigard, Oregon, United States, within the Portland metropolitan area. Currently Gerber is a sub-division of Fiskars Brands Inc, owned by the Fiskars company of Finland...
- Fox knives
Trivia
The force has as a mascot a little three-legged dog called Tricickle, who is considered to bring great fortune to the unit.See also
- EURALIUSEuraliusEURALIUS is the European Assistance Mission to the Albanian Justice System.The initial stated objective of EURALIUS is "To facilitate, through the building of the required capacities within the Ministry of Justice and the Judiciary, the development of a more independent, impartial, efficient,...
, European Assistance Mission to the Albanian Justice System