Active 1982 – present Allegiance Lebanon Role Infantry | Country Lebanon Branch Ground Forces | |
Type Light Mechanized Infantry | ||
The 7th 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 7th Infantry Regiment was therefore re-organized and expanded to a brigade group numbering 2,000 men, most of whom were Maronite Christians from the Mount Lebanon region and Druzes from the Chouf.
Structure and organization
The 7th Infantry Brigade was composed of 1,700 men in 1987. A contingent of the Brigade was stationed in the Jbeil district, north of Beirut. This contingent was regarded as loyal to former President Suleiman Frangieh, whose feudal seat, Zgharta, is a few kilometers southwest of Tripoli. Consequently, the central government equipped this contingent with light weapons only. The brigade's headquarters was located in Amsheet, just north of Jounieh. Units at Amsheet were well equipped with US-made M48 tanks and M113 armored personnel carriers (APCs) but were regarded as being under the sway of Lebanese Forces' Supreme Commander Samir Geagea, who maintained his retinue in Amsheet.