2nd Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)

2nd Infantry Brigade
Active	1983 – 1987; 1991 – present
Country	Lebanon
Allegiance	Lebanon
Branch	Ground Forces
Type	Heavy Mechanized Infantry
Role	Infantry
Size	Brigade
Engagements	Lebanese Civil War Mountain War;
Commanders
Colonel	Issam Abu Jamra

The 2nd Infantry Brigade (Lebanon) is a Lebanese Army unit that fought in the Lebanese Civil War, being active since its creation in January 1983 until its disbandment in 1987, being subsequently re-formed in June 1991.

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 late 1982, the 2nd Infantry Regiment was therefore re-organized and expanded to a brigade group numbering 2,000 men, most of whom were Sunni Muslims from northern Lebanon, which became on January 18, 1983 at Scout City – Batroun, the 2nd Infantry Brigade.^[1]

Emblem[]

The Brigade's emblem consists of a gilded shining sun motif on the upper half and a red colour setting on the lower half. The sun motif symbolizes light irradiating hope and sovereignty, whilst the red setting symbolizes blood and sacrifice; at the centre of the sun is set a green map of Lebanon with a national Lebanese flag on top, both forming the Arabic number (2). Superimposed below in the red blood setting is a white V-shaped chevron pointed down bearing "Second Brigade" written in black Arabic script, being flanked on each side by a pair of crossed rifle-and-sword motifs symbolizing the Brigade's readiness to sacrifice itself for Lebanon.

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 equipped with Panhard AML-90 armoured cars, AMX-13 light tanks (replaced in the 1990s by T-55A tanks donated by Syria) and M48A5 main battle tanks (MBTs), three mechanized infantry battalions (21st, 22nd and 23rd) issued with M113 armored personnel carriers (APC), plus an artillery battalion fielding US M114 155 mm howitzers. The Brigade also fielded a logistics battalion, equipped with US M151A2 jeeps, Land-Rover long wheelbase series III, Chevrolet C20 and Dodge Ram (1st generation) pickups, and US M35A2 2½-ton (6x6) military trucks. Initially headquartered at the Nohra Shalouhi Barracks near Batroun in 1983, the Brigade's HQ was later moved to the Bahjat Ghanem Barracks at Tripoli, and placed under the command of Colonel Issam Abu Jamra.

Combat history[]

The Lebanese Civil War[]

Commanded by Colonel Issam Abu Jamra, the Second Brigade during the Mountain War was deployed at the northern port city of Tripoli as part of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Northern Command. As such, the Brigade took no part in the September 1983 battles for the Chouf District or the February 1984 battle for the control of the western districts of Beirut. Virtually confined to their Tripoli barracks and forced into inactivity, the Second Brigade self-disbanded in 1987 and its units had dispersed.

The post-civil war years 1990-present[]

Upon the end of the war in October 1990, the LAF Command proceeded to reorganize and expand the Lebanese Army's battered mechanized infantry brigades structure, with the Second Brigade being officially re-established in Tripoli on June 1, 1991.

Notes[]

↑ https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/lebanon/army-orbat-1.htm

References[]

Denise Ammoun, Histoire du Liban contemporain: Tome 2 1943-1990, Fayard, Paris 2005. ISBN 978-2-213-61521-9 (in French) – [1]
Edgar O'Ballance, Civil War in Lebanon 1975-92, Palgrave Macmillan, London 1998. ISBN 0-333-72975-7
Éric Micheletti and Yves Debay, Liban – dix jours aux cœur des combats, RAIDS magazine n.º41, October 1989 issue. ISSN 0769-4814 (in French)
Joseph Hokayem, L'armée libanaise pendant la guerre: un instrument du pouvoir du président de la République (1975-1985), Lulu.com, Beyrouth 2012. ISBN 9781291036602, 1291036601 (in French) – [2]
Ken Guest, Lebanon, in Flashpoint! At the Front Line of Today’s Wars, Arms and Armour Press, London 1994, pp. 97–111. ISBN 1-85409-247-2
Matthew S. Gordon, The Gemayels (World Leaders Past & Present), Chelsea House Publishers, 1988. ISBN 1-55546-834-9
Moustafa El-Assad, Civil Wars Volume 1: The Gun Trucks, Blue Steel books, Sidon 2008. ISBN 9953-0-1256-8
Oren Barak, The Lebanese Army – A National institution in a divided society, State University of New York Press, Albany 2009. ISBN 978-0-7914-9345-8 – [3]
Rex Brynen, Sanctuary and Survival: the PLO in Lebanon, Boulder: Westview Press, 1990.
Robert Fisk, Pity the Nation: Lebanon at War, London: Oxford University Press, (3rd ed. 2001). ISBN 0-19-280130-9
Samer Kassis, 30 Years of Military Vehicles in Lebanon, Beirut: Elite Group, 2003. ISBN 9953-0-0705-5
Samer Kassis, Véhicules Militaires au Liban/Military Vehicles in Lebanon 1975-1981, Trebia Publishing, Chyah 2012. ISBN 978-9953-0-2372-4
Samuel M. Katz, Lee E. Russel, and Ron Volstad, Armies in Lebanon 1982-84, Men-at-Arms series 165, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1985. ISBN 0-85045-602-9
Samuel M. Katz and Ron Volstad, Arab Armies of the Middle East wars 2, Men-at-Arms series 194, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1988. ISBN 0-85045-800-5
Steven J. Zaloga, Tank battles of the Mid-East Wars (2): The wars of 1973 to the present, Concord Publications, Hong Kong 1998. ISBN 962-361-613-9
Thomas Collelo (ed.), Lebanon: a country study, Library of Congress, Federal Research Division, Headquarters, Department of the Army (DA Pam 550-24), Washington D.C., December 1987 (Third edition 1989). – [4]

External links[]

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The original article can be found at 2nd Infantry Brigade (Lebanon) and the edit history here.

[1] ttps://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/lebanon/army-orbat-1.htm

[1]