2nd Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)

The 2nd Infantry Brigade (Lebanon) is a Lebanese Army unit that fought in the Lebanese Civil War, being active since its creation in January 1983 until its disbandment in 1987, being subsequently re-formed in June 1991.

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 2nd Infantry Regiment was therefore re-organized and expanded to a brigade group numbering 2,000 men, most of whom were Sunni Muslims from northern Lebanon, which became on January 18, 1983 at Scout City – Batroun, the 2nd Infantry Brigade.

Emblem
The Brigade's emblem consists of a gilded shining sun motif on the upper half and a red colour setting on the lower half. The sun motif symbolizes light irradiating hope and sovereignty, whilst the red setting symbolizes blood and sacrifice; at the centre of the sun is set a green map of Lebanon with a national Lebanese flag on top, both forming the Arabic number (2). Superimposed below in the red blood setting is a white V-shaped chevron pointed down bearing "Second Brigade" written in black Arabic script, being flanked on each side by a pair of crossed rifle-and-sword motifs symbolizing the Brigade's readiness to sacrifice itself for Lebanon.

Structure and organization
The new unit grew from an understrength battalion comprising three rifle companies to a fully equipped mechanized infantry brigade, capable of aligning a Headquarters' (HQ) battalion, an armoured battalion equipped with Panhard AML-90 armoured cars, AMX-13 light tanks (replaced in the 1990s by T-55A tanks donated by Syria) and M48A5 main battle tanks (MBTs), three mechanized infantry battalions (21st, 22nd and 23rd) issued with M113 armored personnel carriers (APC), plus an artillery battalion fielding US M114 155 mm howitzers. The Brigade also fielded a logistics battalion, equipped with US M151A2 jeeps, Land-Rover long wheelbase series III, Chevrolet C20 and Dodge Ram (1st generation) pickups, and US M35A2 2½-ton (6x6) military trucks. Initially headquartered at the Nohra Shalouhi Barracks near Batroun in 1983, the Brigade's HQ was later moved to the Bahjat Ghanem Barracks at Tripoli, and placed under the command of Colonel Issam Abu Jamra.

The Lebanese Civil War
Commanded by Colonel Issam Abu Jamra, the Second Brigade during the Mountain War was deployed at the northern port city of Tripoli as part of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Northern Command. As such, the Brigade took no part in the September 1983 battles for the Chouf District or the February 1984 battle for the control of the western districts of Beirut. Virtually confined to their Tripoli barracks and forced into inactivity, the Second Brigade self-disbanded in 1987 and its units had dispersed.

The post-civil war years 1990-present
Upon the end of the war in October 1990, the LAF Command proceeded to reorganize and expand the Lebanese Army's battered mechanized infantry brigades structure, with the Second Brigade being officially re-established in Tripoli on June 1, 1991.