The Red Guard of Senegal (), officially known as the Presidential Guard Legion (; LGP) is a unit of the

Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...

ese

Gendarmerie A gendarmerie () is a paramilitary or military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (). In France and so ...

that is responsible for presidential security. It also has ceremonial duties and assists in general policing. It is very similar in concept to the French

Republican Guard A republican guard, sometimes called a national guard, is a state organization of a country (often a republic, hence the name ''Republican'') which typically serves to protect the head of state and the government, and thus is often synonymous wit ...

, with which it is officially twinned. The Red Guard is the direct descendant of a French colonial Spahi detachment sent to Senegal in 1845.

Name

This

spahi Spahis () were light cavalry, light-cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the Arab and Berber populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, w ...

unit is also known as the Red Guard of the Presidency () or the Red Guard of Dakar (). The name "Red Guard" () is derived from their red tunics and

burnous A burnous (), also burnoose, burnouse, bournous or barnous, is a long cloak of coarse woollen fabric with a pointed hood, often white, traditionally worn by Arabs, Arab and Berbers, Berber men in North Africa. Historically, the white burnous was w ...

cloaks.

Background and heritage

French

Spahi Spahis () were light cavalry, light-cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the Arab and Berber populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, w ...

s were required to range over vast areas of the

Sahara desert The Sahara (, ) is a desert spanning across North Africa. With an area of , it is the largest hot desert in the world and the list of deserts by area, third-largest desert overall, smaller only than the deserts of Antarctica and the northern Ar ...

and in 1845 a squadron was sent to Saint-Louis du Sénégal in response to tribal conflicts on the banks of the Senegal river. This detachment became a Senegalese-recruited branch of the

s. The Senegalese Spahis saw extensive active service in French West Africa and in Morocco over a period of 80 years. These cavalry squadrons were disbanded in 1928 as a cost-saving measure but provided the basis for a newly raised mounted

gendarmerie A gendarmerie () is a paramilitary or military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (). In France and so ...

. In the twentieth century the Senegalese spahis were known as the "Colonial Guard" () of the "Colonial Gendarmerie". In 1960, on independence, the Colonial Guard was renamed "Presidential Guard" (), while the Colonial Gendarmerie as a whole became the

National Gendarmerie The National Gendarmerie ( ) is one of two national law enforcement forces of France, along with the National Police (France), National Police. The Gendarmerie is a branch of the French Armed Forces placed under the jurisdiction of the Minister ...

. The Red Guard places great emphasis on its heritage from the French empire, and considers itself "guardian of the traditions of the squadrons which distinguished themselves on countless battlefields in black Africa and Morocco, in the service of France" ()

Organisation

The Red Guard is part of the Security Legion of the Mobile Gendarmerie. It is divided into three "groups of squadrons", each consisting of two squadrons.

Group of Presidential Guard Squadrons (GEGP)

One squadron of this group works within the presidential palace, and the other in the vicinity of the palace.

Group of Protection Squadrons (GEP)

This group is responsible for the close personal protection of the president.

Group of Escort and Service Squadrons (GEES)

This group consists of the Mounted Squadron and the Motorcycle Squadron. The Mounted Squadron is the premier ceremonial unit of the Red Guard. It is used for visits by foreign heads of state. The guard consists of 120 cavalrymen, including a mounted band of 35 musicians. Parades are led by the band, on white horses with their tails dyed red. There are three platoons in the squadron; the 1st and 3rd platoons are mounted on

bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...

horses, the 2nd on white horses. The squadron also fulfils mounted police duties for the maintenance of public order, notably on beaches. The Motorcycle Squadron provides a road escort for presidential convoys and for similar convoys (e.g. for the Senegalese prime minister and visiting dignitaries from abroad). The squadron can also provide ordinary traffic police services.

References

External links

{{Commons category, Senegalese Red Guard
The Red Guard - Official Presidential Website

Senegalese Protocol Horse Squadron Rehearsing for Xi’s Visit
Military of Senegal Law enforcement in Senegal Law of Senegal Guards of honour Gendarmerie units and formations