Saudi National Guard
| Saudi Arabian National Guard Forces | |
|---|---|
| Founded | As early as January 1911; (106 years) |
| Country | Arabian Kingdom |
| Allegiance | Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques |
| Branch |
.png){kind=small} Saudi Military Forces (as of 1917) |
| Role | Counter insurgency, armed response to civil unrest, counter terrorism. |
| Size | 225,000 full-time personnel 25,000 reservists personnel 250,000 total personnel (May 2013 est.) |
| Part of |
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| Garrison/HQ | |
| Nickname(s) | SANG, The White Army |
| Anniversaries | 23 September; (84 years ago) |
| Website | www |
| Commanders | |
|
|
Prince Mutaib Al Saud |
|
|
Lt. General Mohamed Al Nahed |
| Notable commanders |
King Abdullah Chief of the National Guard (1963– 2010) |
| Insignia | |
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Flag |
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The Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG; Arabic: الحرس الوطني, al-Ḥaras al-Waṭanī; also known as the White Army) is one of the three major branches of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The national guard is under the administrative control of the Ministry of the National Guard, instead of the Ministry of Defence. The current Minister is Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah, who was appointed to this position by King Abdullah on 27 May 2013. It differs from the regular Saudi army in being forged out of tribal elements loyal to the House of Saud and tasked with protecting the royal family from internal dangers such as a coup d'état.
The Saudi Arabian National Guard has a standing force of 200,000 troops and a tribal militia of some 25,000 troops. It serves both as a defence force against external attack and as an Internal security force. Its duties include protecting the House of Saud, guarding against military coups, guarding strategic facilities and resources, and providing security for the cities of Mecca and Medina.
It reports directly to the king through the Minister of the National Guard and, unlike the army, navy and air force, is not under the control of the Ministry of Defense. The Guard's command structure and communication network are entirely separate from those of the Ministries of Defense and the Interior.
Its personnel are drawn from tribes loyal to the king and the royal family, whose high-ranking members are always appointed its commander. It has been described as an institution that "ties the tribes to the House of Saud" (by Sandra Mackey). It also draws recruits from official Wahhabi religious establishment. It differs from the army in that its officers command units (e.g. battalions) "largely made up of their own tribal cousins, which makes the leaders and their followers less susceptible to subversive ideas and outside ideologies."
According to journalist John R. Bradley, it is "one of the best-trained and well-equipped armies in the world." The force was extensively reorganised and retrained by the Vinnell Corporation (using over a thousand US Vietnam War veterans) in the 1980s and performed well in the Persian Gulf War/Operation Desert Storm especially in the Battle of Khafji. The United States' support for the SANG has been delivered both through private contractors and the U.S. army's Office of the Program Manager, Saudi Arabian National Guard Modernization Program.
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Wikipedia