United Arab Emirates Presidential Guard
The UAE Presidential Guard (UAE-PG) (Arabic: حرس الرئاسة لدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة) is an elite military special operations unit of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces. It is a military unit that operates outside the conventional framework of traditional armed forces. It is considered to be a premier fighting unit in the Middle East and the Arab world.[1] It is also seen as the Emirati version of the United States Secret Service as its duties include protecting the Ra'is albeit they are not limited by that role.[2] The United States Marine Corps officially designates the UAE-PG as its Marine counterpart.
Presidential Guard Command | |
---|---|
حرس الرئاسة (in Arabic) | |
Founded | 2011 |
Country | |
Type | Special operations |
Role | Amphibious and expeditionary warfare |
Motto(s) | Allah, Watan, Ra'is |
Colors | Beige and Burgundy |
Engagements | See list
|
Commanders | |
Commander in Chief | Khalifa bin Zayed |
Deputy Commander in Chief | Mohammed bin Zayed |
Unit commander | Mike Hindmarsh |
History
UAE-PG was formed in 2011 as a merger of the Amiri Guard, the Special Operations Command, and the Marine Battalion from the UAE Navy.[3]
Multiple foreign officers, including Major General Mike Hindmarsh from the Australian Army have served and/or are serving in the guard.[4] In the case of Hindmarsh, he serves as the guard's commander.[5] In October 2011, United States State Department approved of training support being provided by the United States Marine Corps for the guard under the Marine Corps Training Mission UAE (MCTM-UAE).[6] At around the same time, the USMC officially designated the UAE-PG as its Marine counterpart.
In January 2017, a 149-member contingent from the Presidential Guard, as well as 35-member band, marched in the presence of Sultan Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President Pranab Mukherjee on the Rajpath during the Delhi Republic Day parade of 2017.[7][8][9]
In 2019, the UAE-PG has inaugurated the opening of Martyr's Park, dedicated to UAE-PG personnel who were killed in the line of duty.[10]
Deployments
Afghanistan
The UAE-PG participated in the War in Afghanistan in support to the coalition efforts against the Taliban. Their role has mostly been active in the delivery of humanitarian aid as well as supporting the development of basic community infrastructure in Afghanistan.[11]
2015 Yemeni Civil War
The Presidential Guard has played a role in the Yemeni Civil War in the support of the government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.[12] There are allegations that the UAE-PG has participated in war crimes in the Yemeni Civil War.[13]
Organization
The UAE PG has the UAE Special Operations Command under its control.[14]
Headquarters
The guard headquarters is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The building consists of a basement, a ground floor and three upper levels. It has a length of about 31,000 square meters.[15]
Training
Training of UAE-PG personnel is provided under the USMC's UAE Marine Corps Training Mission - United Arab Emirates (UAE MCTM - UAE) unit.[14]
See also
Sources
- "Behind the Lines: Hedging bets in the gulf". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.
- "Presidential Guard Command". www.protenders.com.
- "Mission:Winds of Goodness - The UAE Presidential Guard". www.uaeafghanistan.ae.
- "Decorated Australian soldier faces questions about Yemen war". www.abc.net.au. February 8, 2016.
- "They were our best. Now they advise a foreign army accused of war crimes". www.abc.net.au. December 13, 2018.
- MARADMIN 620/12, PERSONNEL SOURCING GUIDANCE IN SUPPORT OF MARINE CORPS TRAINING MISSION - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (MCTM- UAE) https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/895109/personnel-sourcing-guidance-in-support-of-marine-corps-training-mission-united/. Retrieved 8 May 2019. Missing or empty
|title=
(help) - https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=157687
- Jr, Bernd Debusmann. "Watch: UAE troops lead the way in Republic Day parade". Khaleej Times.
- "UAE standing with Saudi Arabia in one trench: Mohamed bin Zayed". gulfnews.com.
- "THE UAE'S POLICY IN AFGHANISTAN". uaeafghanistan.ae. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- "Revealed: The mercenaries commanding UAE forces in Yemen". Middle East Eye.
- "NoCookies". The Australian. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
- "UAE Presidential Guard Command".
- Associates, RW Armstrong &. "RW Armstrong, International Engineering Firm - PRESIDENTIAL GUARD COMMAND HEADQUARTERS". RW Armstrong & Associates.