Yemeni Republican Guard | |
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Active | Republican Guard of North Yemen: 1964–1990 Republican Guard of Yemen: 1990–2012 Strategic Reserve Forces: 2013–2016 Republican Guard of Yemen: 2016–present |
Country | North Yemen (1964–1990) Yemen (1990–present) |
Branch | Yemen Army |
Type | Praetorian Guard Special operations force |
Role | Praetorian Guard Mechanized infantry Armoured warfare Counter-Terrorism |
Size | 100,000–150,000[1][2][3] |
Part of | 1 Mountain Infantry Brigade 1 Artillery Brigade Special Security Forces Counterterrorism brigades 3 missile brigades 2 Armoured Brigades 1 Protective Brigade 1 Special Guard Brigade[4] |
Engagements | |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Maj. Gen. Ali al-Jayfi † Brig. Gen. Ahmed Saleh Col. Ali Raymi † |
Insignia | |
Unit flag |
The Yemeni Republican Guard (YRG; Arabic: الحرس الجمهوري اليمني, romanized: al-Ḥaras al-Jumhūrī al-Yamanī), formerly known as the Strategic Reserve Forces (Arabic: قوات الاحتياطي الاستراتيجي, romanized: Qūwāt al-Iḥtiyāṭī al-Istirātījī), was an elite praetorian guard unit in the Yemen Army. It was formerly commanded by the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh's son, Ahmed Saleh. It was most notably involved in the 2011 Yemeni uprising, fighting in favour of the Saleh government.[5] The unit was traditionally relied on as the backbone of the regime, and the unit was the best armed and trained in the armed forces. The Defence Ministry both overlooked and engaged in corruption with the unit in order to ensure the loyalty of the unit's leadership.[3]