71st Special Battalion

71st Special Battalion or 71st Counter Terrorism Battalion or as known today Special Unit II is a Jordanian Special Forces battalion that specializes in combating terrorism. Established in 1973, it is today known as being one of the best trained special forces units in the Middle East.

71st Special Battalion (Jordan) / Special Unit II
الكتيبة الخاصة 71 (الأردن) / الوحدة الخاصة 2
Emblem of the 71st Special Battalion
Active1973 – present
Country Jordan
BranchJordanian Armed Forces
TypeSpecial forces
SizeBattalion
Commanders
Current
commander		unknown

Operations
71st Special Battalion members during a demonstration at Special Operations Forces Exhibition.

The battalion is thought to have participated in several operations.[1]

In 1977, they participated in ending a hotel siege in Amman.[2]

In 2006, following 2005 Amman Bombings, the battalion collaborated with the Jordanian intelligence agents in several operations which included the capture of Ziad Khalaf Raja al-Karbouly in Iraq.[3]

In 2013, Crown prince Hussein participated in a training session with the 71st battalion members.[4]

On 22 June 2014, responding to the threat of ISIS which captured the Iraqi city of Ar Rutba not far from the Jordanian border, the unit was dispatched to the area.[5]

On 1 March 2016, the unit clashed with extremist militias in the city of Irbid in northern Jordan as part of the General Intelligence Directorate attempt to foil a terrorist plot against military and civilian targets in Jordan by ISIS affiliates.[6]

The battalion was dispatched to the Kerak Castle, during the events of the 2016 Al-Karak attack.[7]

References
  1. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Jordan: The Special Forces or Special Operations of the Jordanian Armed Forces". Refworld. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  2. Bennett, R M (2011). Elite Forces. Virgin Books. ISBN 9780753547649. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  3. "Jordan faces growing Salafist-jihadist threat - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  4. "تدريبات الامير الحسين بن عبدالله الثاني ولي العهد مع الكتيبة الخاصة ٧١". YouTube. 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  5. Schenker, David (July 13, 2014). "Countering the ISIS Threat to Jordan". WINEP.
  6. http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/king-attends-funeral-fallen-officer-jordanians-hail-success-anti-terror-operation#sthash.t4YH2yb7.dpuf
  7. "Canadian killed in shootout at Jordanian castle, other tourists held hostage". Reuters. 18 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
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