Operation Citadel
Introduction
Operation CITADEL was a major deployment of Australian Combat Batallion Groups (AUSBATT) to support the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) Peacekeeping Force from 2000 until May 2004.
Government Sources
Operation Citadel, Australian Defence Force, archived website
“Operation Citadel was Australia’s contribution to the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) Peacekeeping Force, the original mandate for which expired on 20 May 2004….The United Nations Security Council on 14 May 2004 adopted a resolution to extend the UNMISET mandate for six months, with a view to subsequently extending it further for a final period of six months, until 20 May 2005. The Australian Government agreed to offer further support and committed about 100 ADF personnel to the revised UN Peace Keeping Force, maintaining about 25% of the total military presence.
“Australian Defence Force personnel who served in Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor) as part of Operation Citadel conducted a broad range of functions and tasks. They were spread throughout Timor-Leste, serving with six Australian force elements. These were:
- The Australian National Commend element in Dili;
- The Australian Combined Battle Group located in the west of Timor-Leste and based at Moleana;
- The Australian Defence Force personnel who are part of the UNMISET Peacekeeping Force Headquarters in Dili;
- United Nations Military Observers throughout Timor-Leste, and
- A 5th Aviation Regiment Detachment of three S70 Blackhawk helicopters based at Moleana”
Australian Combined Battalion Group (AUSCOMBATT IX) Factsheet, Operation Citadel, Australian Defence Force, archived website
“The current Australian Combined Battalion Group (based on the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment from Enoggera, Brisbane ) includes a fully integrated rifle company of Fiji infantry and is the ninth Australian battalion group (AUSBATT IX) to rotate through East Timor. It assumed responsibility for security operations on Saturday 15th November, taking over from Townsville-based 1st Battalion Group, which had been in East Timor since May 2003.
AUSBATT IX includes Australian soldiers from:
- 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, including:
- one rifle company;
- administration elements;
- support company;
- 7th Combat Service Support Battalion (7 CSSB elements) providing logistic support;
- 1st Field Regiment providing civil-military liaison support;
- 2/14th Light Horse Regiment/Queensland Mounted Infantry providing armoured mobility;
- 2nd Combat Engineering Regiment;
- Military Geo-spatial Information detachment from the 1st Topographical Survey Squadron; and
- 4th Military Police Company 44 MP Platoon and their military working dogs.
“The Battalion Group also has a Health Supplementation Team, made up of several elements from the 7 Combat Services Support Battalion (CSSB) located in Brisbane; 9 CSSB from Adelaide; 2 Health Support Battalion (HSB) from Brisbane; 3 HSB located in Adelaide and the Army Malarial Institute from Brisbane.
“AUSBATT IX consists of approximately 300 Australian and Fiji soldiers. There is also an Australian S70 Black Hawk detachment from 5 Aviation Regiment attached to the Australian National Command Element, providing additional aero-medical evacuation support specifically to AUSBATT IX.”