While the Tunisian armed forces obtain equipment from several sources, the United States remains the largest single supplier. Officer and specialist training for Tunisian personnel was formerly undertaken in French and American military academies.
Who was the former Minister of Defence in Tunisia?
The former minister of defence was Rachid Sabbagh. The modern Tunisian army was formed in 1831 by Al-Husayn II ibn Mahmud. During the period of the French Protectorate (1881–1956) Tunisians were recruited in significant numbers into the French Army, serving as tirailleurs (infantry) and spahis (cavalry).
When did the Tunisian army fight in a war?
The Tunisian army experienced combat for the first time in 1958; against French units crossing the southern border in pursuit of Algerian FLN fighters. However, the main battle experience of the Tunisian army, since its creation, occurred during the Bizerte crisis, when over 600 Tunisian soldiers were killed in combat against French forces.
Why are Tunisian soldiers called ‘Ace in the hole’?
In his book Shake Hands with the Devil, Canadian force commander Roméo Dallaire gave the Tunisian soldiers high credit for their work and effort in the conflict and referred to them as his “ace in the hole”. From 1960 the Tunisian army has participated in the following missions:
What is the National Service in Tunisia?
National service. The Tunisian army is in part a conscript army. Young men are called for military service at the age of twenty years, as nominally women have been since March 2003. Having completed their active service both conscripts and volunteers pass into the reserve until they reach the age of 35.
When were the first battalions of the modern Tunisian army created?
The first battalions of the regular modern Tunisian army were created at the same time as the reform of the Ottoman army and after the French conquest of Algeria in 1830. At the initiative of Minister of Hussein Bey II, Mamluk Shakir Saheb Ettabaâ, a battalion of Tunisians was established in Tunis in January 1831.
