9th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)

9th Infantry Brigade
Active 1984 – present
Country Lebanon
Allegiance  Lebanon
Branch Ground Forces
Type Light Mechanized Infantry
Role Infantry
Size Brigade
Engagements

Lebanese Civil War

Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon

Commanders
Colonel Sami Rihana
Colonel Yamine

The 9th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon) is a Lebanese Army unit that fought in the Lebanese Civil War, being active since its creation in January 1984.

Origins

In the aftermath of the June–September 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, President Amin Gemayel, convinced that a strong and unified national defense force was a prerequisite to rebuilding the nation, announced plans to raise a 60,000-man army organized into twelve brigades (created from existing infantry regiments), trained and equipped by France and the United States. In March 1, 1983 the 9th Infantry Regiment was amalgamated with the Anti-tank Regiment, the Engineering Regiment and the 801st battalion into a brigade group numbering 2,000 men, mostly Maronite Christians from the northern Akkar and Koura Districts, though it also contained Sunni and Shia Muslims. Initially designated the General Support Brigade (GSB), the new unit changed its name on September 10 of that year to "9th Brigade", which officially became on January 1, 1984 the 9th Infantry Brigade.

Emblem

The Brigade's emblem consists of a grip holding a crossed red lightning symbolizing permanent readiness and rapid execution and the sword of Law, surmounted by a Arabic numeral (9) in gold and two drops of blood below symbolizing self-donation with no limits, all set on a black background.

Structure and organization

The new unit grew from an understrength battalion comprising three rifle companies to a fully equipped mechanized infantry brigade, capable of aligning a Headquarters' (HQ) battalion, an armoured battalion (92nd) equipped with Panhard AML-90 armoured cars,[1] AMX-13 light tanks, M48A5 main battle tanks, three mechanized infantry battalions (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) issued with M113, AMX-VCI,[2] Panhard M3 VTT and VAB armored personnel carriers,[3][4] plus an artillery battalion fielding US M114 155 mm howitzers. The Brigade also fielded a logistics battalion, equipped with US M151A2 jeeps, Chevrolet C20 and Dodge Ram (1st generation) pickups and US M35A2 2½-ton military trucks. Headquartered at the Sayyad Roundabout Barracks in the Hazmiyeh district of east Beirut, the brigade was commanded by Colonel Sami Rihana,[5] a Greek Orthodox, later replaced by Col. Yamine.

Combat history

The Lebanese Civil War

Regarded as being totally loyal to General Michel Aoun's interim military government, the majority of the brigade's battalions – except one, deployed at the Beirut port area – were placed along the Hazmiyeh sector of the Green Line, where they fought successfully the Lebanese Forces (LF) in January 1986. The Brigade battled again the LF in February 1990, this time in the Badaro-Furn esh Shebbak sector during the Elimination War.[6]

The post-civil war years 1990-present

Upon the end of the war in October 1990, the 9th Brigade was re-integrated into the structure of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Kassis, 30 Years of Military Vehicles in Lebanon (2003), p. 7.
  2. ↑ Kassis, 30 Years of Military Vehicles in Lebanon (2003), p. 10.
  3. ↑ Kassis, 30 Years of Military Vehicles in Lebanon (2003), p. 7.
  4. ↑ Zaloga, Tank battles of the Mid-East Wars (2003), pp. 53; 57-58.
  5. ↑ Rolland, Lebanon: Current Issues and Background (2003), p. 185.
  6. ↑ Collelo, Lebanon: a country study (1989), p. 223.

References

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