Kaibiles
| Special operation force brigade "Kaibil" | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | Since 5 December 1974 |
| Country |
 Guatemala
|
| Branch | Guatemalan Army |
| Type | Special operations force |
| Role |
Primary tasks:
Other roles: |
| Size | Brigade |
| Garrison/HQ | Poptún, Petén |
| Nickname(s) | Kaibiles |
| Motto(s) | "If I advance, follow me; If I stop, urge me on; If I retreat, kill me. Kaibil !" |
| Engagements | Counter-insurgency operations in Guatemala|Conflicto de Ituri |
Primary tasks:
Other roles:
The Kaibiles (singular: Kaibil) are a special operations wing of the Armed Forces of Guatemala. They specialize in jungle warfare tactics and counter-insurgency operations.
Since 1975 more than 1250 soldiers have graduated the international training programme, which has a duration of 8 weeks. Of this number 85% were guatemalan soldiers with the others coming from countries such as the USA, Chile, China, Spain, Argentina, Peru, Mexico, and more.
The corps' soldiers are distinguished from regular troops by maroon berets with patches bearing a blazing sword. Its motto, inspired by Henri de la Rochejaquelein, is: "If I advance, follow me. If I stop, urge me on. If I retreat, kill me."
On 5 December 1974, Guatemala's military government created its Commando School (Escuela de Comandos). Three months later, on 5 March 1975, it renamed it the Kaibil Special Operations Training Centre (Centro de Adiestramiento y Operaciones Especiales Kaibil). The name "Kaibil" is derived from Kayb'il B'alam (Kaibil Balam), a Mam indigenous leader who evaded capture by the Spanish conquistadors under Pedro de Alvarado.
Initially, the Kaibil Centre was located on two estates, El Infierno ("Hell") and La Pólvora ("Gunpowder") in the municipality of Melchor de Mencos, Petén department. On 12 January 1989, it was moved to the former headquarters of Military Zone 23, in Poptún, Petén.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Kaibil Centre's mission is to train and develop elite commando forces: "To select, by means of arduous, difficult training under physical and mental pressure, members of the army capable of engaging in commando operations."
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Wikipedia