Active 1982 – present Allegiance Lebanon Role Infantry | Country Lebanon Branch Ground Forces | |
Type Light Mechanized Infantry | ||
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.
Contents
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 a Headquarters' (HQ) battalion, 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.