The United States Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) will open a forward-based headquarters in Albania on a rotational basis, Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Thursday.
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SOCEUR, based in Stuttgart, Germany, said on its website that the base in Albania would provide increased coordination with Albanian allies, important access to transportation hubs in the Balkans and greater logistical flexibility.
"This is a fantastic news ... it is an expression of a very high credibility and a very close cooperation," Rama said in a video message in which he read out the SOCEUR announcement.
It was not clear what the role of these US forces in Albania would be.
SOCEUR said its role is to "rapidly respond to emerging threats and if necessary, defeat aggression" together with its allies.
