Lebanese Special Operations Command

Lebanese Special Operations Command
Founded	2008
Country	Lebanon
Type	Special Operations
Size	5,000 (3 brigades)
Part of	Lebanese Armed Forces
Nickname(s)	LSOCOM

The Lebanese Special Operations Command (LSOCOM) (Arabic: قيادة القوات الخاصة اللبنانية Kiyadat al Kouwat al Khasa al Loubnanya) is the joint Special Operations command of the Lebanese Armed Forces which groups Lebanon's elite units. The command is part of the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Background

The command was founded as a result of the lessons the army learned in the Nahr el Bared Operation. The Lebanese Special Forces spearheaded the attack on the camp in which 169 soldiers died and were the workhorse in the battle and the key to the success of the campaign. Nahr el Bared was the first occasion where these regiments were able to prove themselves capable, especially at counter-terrorism operations, which prompted the Lebanese Army Command to start planning to expand them.

Structure

The LSOCOM includes Lebanon's 4 Special Forces Regiments:

• Marine Commandos Regiment
• Commando Regiment (Also known as the Maghaweer)
• Lebanese Air Assault Regiment
• Counter-Sabotage (Moukafaha) Branch and the Strike Force (Kouwa el-Dareba) Anti-Terrorism Branch

Future

At formation, the size of the force was around 5,000 soldiers; however, the plan is to build a force the size of two to three brigades.

See also

• Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Lebanon