9th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)


The 9th Infantry Brigade 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, trained and equipped by France and the United States. On 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 an Arabic numeral 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' battalion, an armoured battalion equipped with Panhard AML-90 armoured cars, AMX-13 light tanks and M48A5 main battle tanks, three mechanized infantry battalions issued with M113, AMX-VCI, Panhard M3 VTT and VAB armored personnel carriers, 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 pickups and US M35A2 2½-ton military trucks. Headquartered at the Sayyad Roundabout Barracks in the Hazmiyeh district of east Beirut, the brigade was initially commanded by Colonel Mounir Merhi, replaced in 1984 by Col. Ghassan Ged, a Greek Orthodox. In 1985 he was replaced by Col. Sami Rihana, also a Greek Orthodox, in turn succeeded in 1989 by Col. Yamine.

Combat history

The Lebanese Civil War

The Mountain War 1983-1984

Commanded by Colonel Mounir Merhi, the 9th Brigade during the Mountain War was deployed at the Hazmiyeh and Sin el Fil eastern suburbs of Beirut. During the Battle for west Beirut on February 6, 1984, the 91st Infantry Battalion and the 94th Armoured Battalion under the command of Colonel Sami Rihana reinforced the other Lebanese Army units deployed in the western sector of the city fighting the anti-Government Muslim militias. Placed at the disposal of the Seventh Brigade's Command, these two battalions were positioned between the Port district and the Sodeco Square in the Nasra neighbourhood of the Achrafieh district of east Beirut.

The post-Chouf years 1984-1990

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 Port district – were placed along the Hazmiyeh sector of the Green Line, where they fought successfully the Lebanese Forces militia faction led by Elie Hobeika during his failed coup attempt to seize control of east Beirut on January 16, 1986. The Brigade battled again the LF in February 1990, this time at the Badaro-Furn esh Shebbak sector during the Elimination War.

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.