Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces: Difference between revisions

The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces were formed after independence in 1961, on the basis of elements of the former British Royal West African Frontier Force present in the country. Their primary responsibilities is to protect Sierra Leone against external attack and aggression.

Following the long Sierra Leone civil war which the Sierra Leonian government fought against the Revolutionary United Front from 1991 - 2002, in which over 15,000 perished, new armed forces are being formed. The Armed Forces currently consist of around 17,5000 personnel, according to the IISS Military Balance 2007. The British military, in the shape of a roughly 100-strong training team, is assisting in the formation of the new armed forces. Major General Edward Sam M’boma is currently the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, the professional head of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. He is responsible for the administration and the operational control of the Sierra Leonean military. It is the highest rank military position in Sierr Leone Armed Forces. However, the power of the Chief of the Defense Staff does not confer command over the military, this power belongs exclusively to the President of Sierra Leone as being the Commander in Chief.

The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces currently consist of the following branches:

Branches

*The Republic Of Sierra Leone Army (RSLA)

The largest branch of The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, and is mainly responsible for protection of the state borders, the security of administered territories and defending the national interests of Sierra Leone within the framework of its international obligations.

The Army is modelled on the United Kingdom armed forces and came into existence after independence in 1961. It has an active force of about of 14,500 personnel. military service age eligibility is from 18-49 years.

*The Sierra Leone Navy (SLN) An armed of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. The navy has about 500 personnel and operates several small patrol craft and barges. Their primary responsiblilities is to protect and safeguard the territorial integrity of Sierra Leone's sea. Sierra Leone naval officers are trained by british forces. They recieved financial support from Britain and China. On April 24, 2006, Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong held talks with Sierra Leone's Vice President Solomon Berewa in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Both sides exchanged views on further developing bilateral ties, as well as international and regional issues of common interest, and reached broad consensus. On september 25, 2007, Eight Guineans Naval officers arrested by Sierra Leone Navy for an act of piracy against locally-licensed fishermen inside Sierra Leonean waters. British-trained Sierra Leone naval officers interrupted the high-seas hold-up by armed men in two launches on Sunday, 18 nautical miles off the capital Freetown inside the country's 200-mile (320-km) economic exclusion zone.

One of the attacking speedboats escaped north towards Guinea, while the other was seized. The eight men arrested were found with AK-47 automatic rifles and bags of fish, including high-value snapper, taken off the Sierra Leone-licensed vessels.

Facts

Military branches: Army (RSLAF), Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - availability:
males age 17-49: 1,228,664 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 596,617 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $10.26 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of Gross domestic product: 1.5% (FY02)

Sources and links

• IISS Military Balance 2007, p.290-91
• http://www.rslaf.org/ - official site
• http://www.army.mod.uk/deployments/sierra_leone/index.htm - British led IMATT SL