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Operation Valuable | |||||||
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Part of the Cold War | |||||||
![]() Top left: American forces recruiting paramilitary soldiers in Munich, Germany Top right: US Colonel F. H. Dunn inspecting the anti-communist Company 4000 during training in Hohenbrunn, Bavaria in November 1950 Bottom left: The Sigurimi with a captured CIA agent Bottom right: Josip Broz Tito gives green light to US General John C. H. Lee to take down fellow communist ruler Enver Hoxha | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Hoxha's regime:![]() |
Western Bloc: Separatists: ![]() | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Units involved | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
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Initial operation:![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
unknown |
1949–1954![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 60 agents killed [c] [13] | ||||||
400 civilians executed |
Operation Valuable was a covert operation conducted during the Cold War by the United Kingdom and the United States in collaboration with other Western Bloc nations. The operation aimed to overthrow the communist regime of Albanian ruler Enver Hoxha as part of broader efforts to counter communist influence around the world and install pro-Western leaders. It involved strategic military actions, incorporating air, naval, and ground assets in pursuit of its objectives.[14] As part of the operation, MI6 and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) launched a joint covert operation using Albanian expatriates as agents. Other anti-communist Albanians and Europeans from other nations worked as agents for Greek and Italian intelligence services, some supported by MI6 and the CIA. Many of the agents were caught, put on trial, and either shot or condemned to long prison terms of penal labor.[citation needed]
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The operations failed, primarily
The attempts by both the US and British failed
The MI6-CIA attempt to liberate Albania was, however, a dramatic failure.
Present OPC plans for operations in Albania envisage the recruiting and training of an additional guard company, making a total of two (500 agents), and the infiltration of 50 agents by 30 June 1952. Given the widespread although at present uncoordinated opposition to the regime, it should be possible to recruit initially at least 2,000 guerrillas from opposition elements now awaiting outside assistance.
Radio Tirana raportoi më 27 tetor se 33 spiunë jugosllavë u kapën ose u vranë nga forcat shtetërore të sigurisë. Asnjë prej tyre nuk ishte agjent i OPC. Këto tre lajmërime tregojnë për suksesin e forcave qeveritare në ndalimin e infiltrimeve nga jashtë. Aktualisht, vetëm dy grupe të OPC janë operativë në Shqipëri, por meqënëse ende nuk është vendosur kontakti radio, statusi i operacioneve nuk njihet. (Albanian) Radio Tirana reported on October 27 that 33 Yugoslav spies were captured or killed by state security forces. None of them were OPC agents. These three announcements show the success of government forces in stopping infiltrations from abroad. Currently, only two OPC groups are operational in Albania, but since radio contact has not yet been established, the status of operations is unknown.
The next OPC team was parachuted in October 1951, just when in Tirana British, American, Greek, Italian and Yugoslav agents captured at different times were on trial. In general, during 1951, 60 Western agents were parachuted into Albania. None of them survived.