The NSS Alpha Group is Armenia's elite tier 1 counter-terrorism unit, formed after the 1999 Armenian parliament shooting, in order to be the main response of the Government of Armenia to domestic and foreign terrorism threats. Composed of the most experienced, well-trained and equipped operators in Armenia, Alpha Group has a reputation as the best special forces unit in the country. The first publicly acknowledged action of the group was during the 2016 Yerevan hostage crisis, where snipers were used to incapacitate some members of the Sasna Tsrer terrorist cell, without killing them, leading to their capture and to the group's surrender a few days later. It is also rumored to have taken part in the 2018 anti-corruption crackdown. Any other operation performed by the unit is unknown.