The Republican Guard Brigade ( , ''Liwāʾ al-Ḥaras al-ǧumhūrī''), also known as the Presidential Guard Brigade, is a unit of the Land Component of the

Lebanese Armed Forces ) , founded = 1 August 1945 , current_form = 1991 , disbanded = , branches = Lebanese Ground Forces Lebanese Air Force Lebanese Navy , headquarters = Yarze, Lebanon , flying_hours = , websi ...

(LAF), attached to the Directorate-General of the Presidency of Lebanon.

Insignia

The insignia of the Presidential Guard Brigade consists of: # The Lebanese flag in the form of a

shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of ...

. #‌‌ A

wreath A wreath () is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs, or various materials that is constructed to form a circle . In English-speaking countries, wreaths are used typically as household ornaments, most commonly as an Advent and C ...

composed of two fronds of laurel and

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

leaves. #‌‌ Two crossed swords. # # The background of the insignia is a shield colored

navy blue Navy blue is a very dark shade of the color blue. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue (contrasted with naval white) worn by officers in the Royal Navy since 1748 and subsequently adopted by other navies around the world. When this color n ...

. ‌The

Lebanese flag The national flag of Lebanon ( ar, علم لبنان) is formed of two horizontal red stripes enveloping a horizontal white stripe. The white stripe is twice the height (width) of the red ones (ratio 1:2:1)—a Spanish fess. The green cedar (L ...

is in the middle of the insignia, the two swords in its background, the wreath surrounding it. above it are inscribed the words "Republican Guard".

Structure and organization

The brigade comprises a 1st

Battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

, 2nd

, a Support

, and a Logistics

. The brigade was established on May 14, 1984 and was stationed in Baabda. Up until 1949, the Lebanese Republican Guard Brigade was called the Dragon brigade. The commander in 2005 was

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...

Mustafa Hamdan Mustafa Hamdan (or Mustapha Hamdan), ( ar, مصطفى حمدان; born 1955) is a retired Lebanese army general and head of the presidential guard, and head of Al-Mourabitoun movement. Career Mustafa Hamdan is known for fighting Israel in 1982. ...

, who was accused of complicity in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister

Rafik Hariri Rafik is the given name of: * Rafik Al-Hariri (1944–2005), business tycoon, former Prime Minister of Lebanon * Rafik Bouderbal (born 1987), French-born Algerian player currently playing for ES Sétif in the Algerian Championnat National * Rafik ...

in February 2005 and later released from prison without being cleared as innocent along with three other generals in April 2009. When President Lahoud stepped down at the end of his office, the brigade was reattached to the Army General Command.

Role

The brigade's duties include providing escorts not only for the

Lebanese President The President of the Lebanese Republic ( ar, رئيس الجمهورية اللبنانية, rayiys aljumhuriat allubnania; french: Président de la République Libanaise) is the head of state of Lebanon. The president is elected by the parliame ...

and its family, but also to the

Prime-Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is no ...

and cabinet members or to foreign visiting heads-of-state, and guards-of-honour at official public acts. They are also entrusted with guarding important public buildings in

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

such as the Parliament House at

Nejmeh Square The Beirut Central District (BCD) or ''Centre Ville'' is the historical and geographical core of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Also called downtown Beirut, it has been described the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hu ...

and the nearby

Grand Serail The Grand Serail ( ar, السراي الكبير, ; french: Le Grand Serail; also known as the Government Palace) is the headquarters of the Prime Minister of Lebanon. It is situated atop a hill in downtown Beirut a few blocks away from the L ...

, an Ottoman-era palatial complex which houses the Prime-Minister and the Council of Ministers' offices, and the Presidential Palace itself.

References

External links

Lebanese Republican Guard official page
Guards regiments Military units and formations of Lebanon Protective security units 1984 establishments in Lebanon Guards of honour {{Lebanon-gov-stub

Insignia

Structure and organization

Role

See also

References

External links