While the year of 2014 was marked by reorganization of the French Army with reducing its personnel and several unit dissolutions, including combat units within the Foreign Legion (e.g. 5th Squadron of 1er REC, 5th Company of 2e REI), the current year of 2015 is significant by reverse policy actions – increasing personnel serving in the French Army and (re-)creating the new combat units.
Documentary 2015: Foreign Legion – For adventure and for France
Watch an interesting, professional 2015 documentary about the French Foreign Legion created by M6, a private national French TV channel as a part of their Zone Interdite documentary series. The documentary shows two sides of the Legion. The first side represents enlisting volunteers and their way from joining in the Legion in Aubagne, through basic training at a farm of the 4e RE, till obtainig the famous Képi blanc (White kepi). The second one represents 2e REP legionnaires during an operation in the Sahara of northern Niger.
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Armistice of 11 November 1918 Commemoration
On November 11, the French commemorate the Armistice of 11 November 1918, an agreement between the Allies and Germany during the First World War, that ended the fights on the Western Front. This day, the French also celebrate commemorate their fallen soldiers, mort pour la France during the conlict.
2e REP: Para Legion 2016 Video Clip
Today, the French Foreign Legion launched a new promotional video clip presenting its paratroopers from the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP), an assault unit established in 1948 in Algeria and currently based on the island of Corsica.
2e REP: Legionnaire becomes a European kickboxing champion
On 3 October 2015, sergeant Maksim Boukalov, a legionnaire of Russian origin serving as a non-commissioned officer (NCO) within the French Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) on the island of Corsica, won the European Pro ISKA kickboxing light middleweight belt, when he beat Laurent Debono, the double European champion in full contact kickboxing.
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2e REP: Saint Michel Day 2015
On 29 September 2015, as every year, legionnaires from the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) celebrated Saint Michel Day, their holiday.
2e REP: Camerone 2015 in Chad
A nice video showing legionnaires from the 1st Platoon, 1st Company, 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP), celebrating on 30 April their Camerone Day in N’Djamena in Chad (Central Africa), where the legionnaires have been deployed since January.
2e REP: Legionnaires seized 1,5 tons of drugs in Niger
On May 14, during Operation Kounama 3 taking place in the Salvador Pass of northern Niger (Sahara Desert, North Africa), the legionnaires from the French Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) seized 1,5 tons of drugs moved by rebels cooperating with regional, mostly Libyan extremists.
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2e REP: Operation Aghrab in southeastern Niger
Last month, some 300 soldiers from France, Niger and Chad were involved in Operation Aghrab in southeastern Niger, on the border with Chad. Legionnaires from the French Foreign Legion’s 2nd Platoon, 1st Company, 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) participated in.
2e REP: Krav Maga on Camerone Day 2015
See the Krav Maga demonstration conducted by legionnaires from the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) at their base Camp Raffalli located near Calvi, Corsica. The European Krav Maga expert, Jean Paul Jauffret, the ex-legionnaire who has trained the 2e REP legionnaires for a long period, demonstrated together with men of the 4th Company + Command & Logistics Company its skills to a live audience, during Camerone Day 2015.
37th Anniversary of the Battle of Kolwezi
On 17 May 1978, the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) of the French Foreign Legion was put on alert to prepare to be sent to the Katanga province of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), the country located in central Africa, to rescue the hundreds of European hostages captured by a group of some 1,500 Katangese rebels in the city of Kolwezi and to drive out the rebels from the city.