Military of The Gambia

Military Of The Gambia

The Gambian National Army numbers about 2,500. A new batch of 620 recruits have recently joined. Recruits receive training from the Turkish-Gambian Training Team.

The army consists of infantry battalions, the national guard, and the navy, all under the authority of the Department of State for Defence (a ministerial portfolio held by President Jammeh). Prior to the 1994 coup, the Gambian army received technical assistance and training from the United States, People's Republic of China, Nigeria, and Turkey. With the withdrawal of most of this aid, the army has received renewed assistance from Turkey, Pakistan and Taiwan and new assistance from Libya and others. Pakistan sent an 18-month advisory team (the Pakistan Armed Forces Advisory Mission, or PAFAM) composed of 1 brigadier, 1 naval captain and 1 group captain from the PAF.

Members of the Gambian military have participated in ECOMOG, the West African force deployed during the Liberian civil war beginning in 1990. Responsibilities for internal security and law enforcement rest with the Gambian police/gendarme force under the inspector general of police and the ministry of the interior.

All branches are jointly governed by a chief of defence staff, Lieutenant General Massaneh Kinteh, who succeeded Lieutenant General Lang Tombong Tamba who is currently on death row for involvement in a 2009 coup plot.