5th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)

5th Infantry Brigade
Active	1982 – present
Country	Lebanon
Allegiance	Lebanon
Branch	Ground Forces
Type	Light Mechanized Infantry
Role	Infantry
Size	Brigade
Engagements	Lebanese Civil War Battle of Souk El Gharb - 1983
Commanders
Colonel	khalil Kanaan

The 5th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon) is a Lebanese Army unit that fought in the Lebanese Civil War, being active since its creation in September 1982.

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 5th Infantry Regiment was therefore re-organized and expanded to a brigade group numbering 2,000 men, mostly Maronite Christians from Mount 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 an armoured battalion equipped with Panhard AML-90 armoured cars, AMX-13 light tanks and M48A5 main battle tanks (MBTs), three mechanized infantry battalions 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 M151 1/4-Ton jeeps, Chevrolet C20 and Dodge Ram (1st generation) pickups, and US M35A2 2½-ton (6x6) military trucks. By 1987 the Brigade was stationed in Brummana, east of Beirut, and placed under the command of Colonel khalil Kanaan, with its administrative headquarters being located at Sarba, north of Jounieh, and an Lebanese Forces (LF) stronghold.

Combat history

In 1987 Fifth brigade units were deployed in the strategic town of Souk El Gharb to prevent Druze artillerymen of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) militia from shelling the capital. The Fifth Brigade was regarded as loyal to the president, but observers believed that if called upon to fight a Christian militia, it might remain neutral.^[1]

Notes

↑ Lebanon: a country study, page 223.

References

Denise Ammoun, Histoire du Liban contemporain: Tome 2 1943-1990, Fayard, Paris 2005. ISBN 978-2-213-61521-9 (in French)
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)
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
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, 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, 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

External links

Lebanese Armed Forces

Organization	Army Air Force Navy Ministry of National Defense Special Operations Command Ranks Commanders

History Operations	Lebanese Civil War Operation "Dinnieh" Operation "Benin" 2006 war Operation "Nahr el Bared" 2008 conflict

Special units	Commando Regiment Marine Commandos Republican Guard Brigade

Colleges Schools	Fouad Shehab Command and Staff College Military Academy Teaching Institute Skiing and Mountain Fighting School High Center for Military Sport Naval Academy Aviation School

Research Development	Cedar (Arz) rocket Huey Bomber UH-1B

Civilian auxiliaries	Lebanese Red Cross

Bases

Army by
region

North	Bahjat Ghanem Youssef Rahmeh George al-Nghayweh Nohra al-Shalouhi

South	Mohammad Zgheib

Air Force

Naval

Beirut

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States with limited recognition	Abkhazia Nagorno-Karabakh Northern Cyprus Palestine South Ossetia Taiwan

Dependencies and other territories	British Indian Ocean Territory Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Hong Kong Macau

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