1er REC, 2e REI, 1er REG: A new mission in Djibouti from June 2022

Last week, several units of the French Foreign Legion landed in Djibouti, a country in the Horn of Africa, for carrying out the usual mission to maintain order and a French presence in this former colony of Frence. Their mission would last four months.

The legionnaires recently deployed to Djibouti have joined the 5th Overseas Combined-arms Regiment (5e RIAOM), a French overseas unit which had replaced the Foreign Legion’s 13th Demi-Brigade in Djibouti in 2011, as the main operational unit. As was the Legion unit itself, even the 5e RIAOM is composed in the vast majority of rotational elements provided (usually) every four months by Mainland France military formations. The latter form – with their personnel – the 5e RIAOM’s infantry company, a cavalry squadron, and a support company consisting of artillery elements and combat engineer elements.

That’s why now, since mid-June 2022, the regiment has integrated a company of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI), a squadron of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) – the 2nd -, and combat engineers coming from the Combat Support Company, 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG). By the way, in the infantry company, the 2e REI legionnaires replaced Legion paratroopers with the 2e REP who were deployed to Djibouti until June 2022.

2e REI - Djibouti - 2022 — 2e REI legionnaires in front of the Quartier Monclar’s entrance in Djibouti, June 2022. The base served as a home to the 13e DBLE, until 2011.

1er REC - Djibouti - 2022 — 2nd Squadron 1er REC cavalrymen in Djibouti, June 2022.

1er REC - Djibouti - 2022 - Col Botheron - 5e RIAOM — 2nd Squadron 1er REC reviewed by Colonel *Botheron*, head of the 5e RIAOM, June 2022.

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