Editing Defence of Iceland (section)

== Icelandic Crisis Response Unit ==
{{Main|Icelandic Crisis Response Unit}}

The Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (ICRU) (or ''Íslenska friðargæslan'' or "The Icelandic Peacekeeping Guard") is an expeditionary peacekeeping force maintained by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.  It is composed of personnel from Iceland's other services, armed or not, including the [[National Police of Iceland|National Police]], Coast Guard, emergency services and healthcare system.  Because of the military nature of most of the ICRU's assignments, all of its members receive basic infantry combat training. This training has often been conducted by the [[Norwegian Army]], but the Coast Guard and the Special Forces are also assigned to train the ICRU.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

Most of the ICRU's camouflage and weaponry is procured from abroad, with some indigenous development. Some arms and uniforms are also borrowed from the [[Norwegian Defence Forces]].{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

The formation and employment of the unit have met controversy in Iceland, especially by people on the left of the political scale. In October 2004, three ICRU personnel were wounded in a [[Suicide attack|suicide bombing]] on [[Chicken Street]] in [[Kabul]] that killed a 13-year old Afghan girl and a 23-year old American woman.<ref>{{cite news |title=Látna afganska stúlkan var fyrirvinna átta manna fjölskyldu |url=https://timarit.is/page/3738588? |access-date=1 July 2022 |work=[[Fréttablaðið]] |date=14 November 2004 |pages=4–5 |language=Icelandic |via=[[Tímarit.is]]}} {{open access}}</ref> The incident resulted in severe criticism of the group's commander, [[Colonel]] Hallgrímur Sigurðsson, as despite orders not to leave [[Kabul Airport]] unless absolutely necessary, he took the group to Chicken Street to shop carpets.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sóttu teppi í skotmark hryðjuverkamanna |url=https://timarit.is/page/3737869 |access-date=1 July 2022 |work=[[Fréttablaðið]] |date=27 October 2004 |page=1 |language=Icelandic |via=[[Tímarit.is]]}} {{open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Hafa réttarstöðu hermanna í NATO |url=https://timarit.is/page/3613882 |access-date=1 July 2022 |work=[[Morgunblaðið]] |date=4 November 2004 |page=10 |language=Icelandic |via=[[Tímarit.is]]}} {{open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The little island that took on the world |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/the-little-island-that-took-on-the-world-5350527.html |website=The Independent |access-date=29 January 2021 |language=en |date=17 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Spjótunum beint að Hallgrími Sigurðssyni |url=https://timarit.is/page/3738650 |access-date=1 July 2022 |work=[[Morgunblaðið]] |date=15 November 2004 |page=14 |language=Icelandic |via=[[Tímarit.is]]}} {{open access}}</ref> Few weeks later, his command was passed to Lt. Colonel Garðar Forberg,<ref>{{cite news |author1=Örlygur Steinn Sigurjónsson |title=Hefði óskað þess heitast að sleppa ferðinni |url=https://timarit.is/page/3618967 |access-date=1 July 2022 |work=[[Morgunblaðið]] |date=1 December 2004 |page=6 |language=Icelandic |via=[[Tímarit.is]]}} {{open access}}</ref> followed by Colonel Lárus Atlason.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

In 2008, the uniformed ICRU deployed personnel still armed for self-defense returned their weapons and changed to civilian clothing. The policy since 2008 is that, unless under special circumstances, ICRU personnel do not wear uniforms or carry weapons.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

=== ICRU missions ===
The ICRU has been or is operating in:
[[File:ICRU missions.png|thumb|ICRU missions]]
* '''Military missions''':
** {{flagcountry|Afghanistan|2004}} within [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]]
** {{flagcountry|Iraq}} within NTM-1 (and the Coast Guard within [[Dancon/Irak]])
** {{flagcountry|Kosovo}}, within KFOR
* '''Civilian missions''':
** {{flagcountry|Bosnia-Herzegovina}} within [[European Union Police Mission|EUPM]]
** {{flagcountry|Lebanon}} within the Mine Action Coordination Center for South Lebanon (MACC-SL)
** {{flagcountry|Sri Lanka}} within [[SLMM]]