Foreign Legion: Overseas Deployments 2018 | French Foreign Legion Information

See the official overseas deployments of French Foreign Legion units planned for the first half of 2018, in operational areas around the world. France remains the only European country with such long list of deployments for its troops. The volunteers asking for service in the Legion know it well. And to be sure, this list is not complete yet.

The French Army (and it means the Legion as well) is once again allowed to publish its deployments. See the list of the Legion’s missions around the world in the first half of 2018.

MALI

– part of Operation Barkhane
– France’s anti-terrorist operation in the Sahel region of Africa
– Sahel is a transition zone between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian Savanna to the south
– launched in 2014, the operation replaced Operation Serval (in Mali, 2013-14) and Operation Épervier (in Chad, 1986-2014)
– five countries are targeted by Operation Barkhane
– Mali, Chad, Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso

– 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion (13e DBLE)
– HQ Command + two companies

– 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI)
– a company

– 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG)
– a detachment

– since June 2018, companies of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) would replace their currently deployed comrades in the Sahel region

Foreign Legion: Operation Barkhane 2018 — French Operation Barkhane in Africa. The small flags mark French military bases.

13e DBLE: Operation Barkhane in Mali 2018 — 13e DBLE legionnaires alongside Malian troops in Mali, March 2018.

BURKINA FASO

– also part of Operation Barkhane

– 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI)
– a detachment

LEBANON

– a country bordering Syria, in the Middle East
– Franch troops make part of FINUL
– a mission of the United Nations in Lebanon (since 1978)

– 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC)
– HQ Command + a squadron

– 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG)
– a detachment

Foreign Legion: FINUL in Lebanon 2018 — In Lebanon, 1er REC’s commanding officer (left) is receiving the flag of FINUL from an Irish commander. The legionnaires replaced Irish troops in Lebanon in mid-march 2018. Note the blue UN berets the legionnaires have to wear.

IRAQ

– 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG)
– HQ Command + a company

– 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI)
– a detachment

2e REI: A legionnaire died in Iraq — Corporal ***Bogusz Pochylski*** from the 2e REI. *He died in Iraq* on March 21, 2018.

IVORY COAST

– an African country, bordering Mali and Burkina Faso
– France has a permanent military base there

– 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC)
– a detachment

– 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG)
– a detachment

SENEGAL

– an African country, bordering Mali and Mauritania
– France has a permanent military base there

– 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG)
– a detachment

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

– a country on the Arabian Peninsula in the Persian Gulf
– bordering Oman, Saudi Arabia, Quatar and Iran
– France has a permanent military base there

– 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI)
– a detachment

MAYOTTE

– an island in the Indian Ocean
– located near Madagascar
– France has a permanent military base there
– home to the DLEM

– 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI)
– a company

– 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion (13e DBLE)
– a company (March-July)

MARTINIQUE

– an overseas region of France
– located in the eastern Caribbean Sea
– east of Cuba and north of Venezuela, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

– 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI)
– a company

NEW CALEDONIA

– the archipelago in the southwest Pacific Ocean
– located east of Australia
– a special collectivity of France
– France has a permanent military base there

– 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC)
– a squadron

– 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG)
– a detachment

FRENCH GUIANA

– an overseas region of France
– located in South America
– bordering Brazil, Suriname and the Atlantic Ocean
– France has permanent military bases there
– home to the 3e REI

– 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG)
– a company

FRANCE – OPERATION SENTINELLE

– Operation Sentinelle in mainland France
– a reaction to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks of January and November
– legionnaires patrol and guard important places and buildings in French cities

– 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG)
– several companies
– they were deployed overseas in 2017

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Image & information sources:
Légion étrangère
Armee de Terre

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