Central Security Forces

Central Security Forces قوات الأمن المركزي Quwwāt al-Amn al-Markazī
Central Security Forces Emblem
Agency overview
Formed	1977
Annual budget	$2.44 billion (2003)+ $1.3 billion of U.S military aid annually 3.4% percentage of GDP (2004)
Jurisdictional structure
National agency	Egypt
Operations jurisdiction	Egypt
General nature	Civilian police
Specialist jurisdictions	Protection of international or domesticVIPs,protection of significant state assets.
Operational structure
Parent agency	Ministry of Interior (Egypt)
Notables
Significant operation	1986 Egyptian conscripts riot Egyptian Revolution of 2011 Egyptian Crisis Sinai insurgency

TheGeneral Security and Central Security Forces(Arabic:قوات الأمن العام و الأمن المركزي,romanized:Quwwāt al-Amn al- Amm wa Quwwāt al-Amn al-Markazī,often shortened toArabic:الأمن المركزي,romanized:Al-Amn al-Markazī) is an EgyptianSWATforce which is responsible for assisting theEgyptian National Police(ENP) for the security of governmental fixed sites, foreign embassies & missions,riots & crowds control,publicly crowded events, high risk arrests, disaster response andSWAToperations.They are a vital arm of Egypt'sNational Securityapparatus.

History

In 1969, a decision was made to create the Central Security Forces from well trained and equipped police forces on large scale covering the whole country under the command of theMinistry of Interior (Egypt)to conduct special police operations in response to operational needs. The creation of those forces followed the military model, and became close – in formation, training, equipment and operating procedures – to the ItalianCarabinieri,IndianCRPFand the RussianOMON.The initial batch of recruits were drawn from the Police and had to undergo military training under theArmy.Later on, in 1970, a separate training institute was set up for the CSF and the force started conscripting its recruits, just like regular Army conscripts. Formed in 1977 to obviate the need to call upon the armed forces to deal with domestic disturbances, the CSF grew rapidly to 100,000 members whenMubaraktook office. The CSF was set up to deal with the growing unrest and public disorder following the Egyptian defeat in theSix day war.The CSF was deployed by theSadat governmentto tackle large protests by Leftist and hardlineNasseristgroups in January 1972 in Cairo, the protests were called to protest against Sadat's anti-Soviet and anti-Palestinian foreign policy, lack of action against Israel and right-wing economic measures such as cutting some subsidies and increasing some prices of welfare services like public transport. CSF units had to use force to disperse the rioting crowds inTahrir Squarewhich led to the shooting death of three protestors.

Following the1973 Arab Israeli Warbetween Egypt and Israel – then settling the 1973 & 1974Ceasefireagreements; the 1979Egyptian–Israeli Peace Treatywas signed and the subsequent Israeli withdrawal from the rest ofSinai Peninsulaoccurred. The Treaty stipulated the Egyptian government refrain from deploying regularEgyptian Armed Forcesunits in the eastern part ofSinaithat directly border Israel (Zone "C" ). The Egyptian government then tasked the Central Security Forces to take up the task. The CSF force deployed is effectively a motorized light infantry force without the heavy weapons and equipment.

Tanks in Cairo during the 1986 riots

In 1986, hundreds of third category, low ranking, CSF personnel (soldiers) staged a four-daymutiny,in theEgyptian Conscription Riot.The riot was a reaction to the spread of false rumours among its conscripts that their (three-year) conscription time will be extended by a year. The insurrection was suppressed by theEgyptian Army.They rampaged through thesuburbofGizaburning some hotels and shops in tourist areas. They also burned dozens of cars and buses. Over 20,000 conscripts were dismissed from service with no benefits, and the agitators receivedcorrectional punishmentafter being tried beforeState Security Courtforarson,violent riots,andinsubordinationaccording topenal code.Some reports related that mutiny to a conspiracy against theMinister of Interiorin charge by then (Gen. Ahmed Roshdy) due to his policies. After the suppression the government promised to overhaul the force by raising its entry standards, increasing payment and bettering living conditions in their camps.

The Egyptian government subsequently came to rely on the CSF to quell any source of instability within the country and to uphold the emergency laws imposed onEgyptsince the 1981 assassination of thePresident of Egypt,Anwar Sadat.The CSF was especially deployed to tackle armed Islamist insurgents. From the 1990s onwards, CSF has become operationally coordinated with theState Security,meaning CSF units can be ordered to deploy by State Security officers, and has been called the "battering ram of State Security".

Organization & Equipment

SWATriot policeof the Central Security Forces deployed during the 25 January 2011 protests.

Rows of Egyptian Central Security Forces on the Day of Anger during the2011 Egyptian revolution.

Police in riot gear on 28 January - "The Day of Rage" - during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011.

The CSF is headed by aDirector General,who is a 3-star Police General of the Interior Ministry, and is organized as follows:

• Main Headquarters (MHQ).
• Special Operations Command.
  • Black Cobra Unit
• (6) Specialized Training Institutes.
• (8) AOR Operational Regions –
  • Cairo,
  • Alexandria,
  • Giza,
  • Central & WesternNile Delta,
  • Eastern Nile Delta,
  • Suez Canal&Sinai,
  • SouthernUpper Egypt,and
  • NorthernUpper Egypt

List of Equipment of Central Security Forces ( Egypt )

Deployment and operating procedures

Similar to other central SWAT organizations in other countries, CSF deployment is divided into three parts - Baton, Gas, and Armed. The basic unit formation of the CSF is acompanywhich is commanded by aPoliceCaptain(naqib) or in some cases aMajorwho is a commissioned officer and a graduate of the Police College. A seniorLieutenant(mulazim awwal) (orCaptainwhen the commander is a Major), is usually second-in-command.

A CSF company consists of approximately 150 personnel and is composed of twoBatonplatoons,aGasplatoon,and anArmedplatoon.Eachplatoonis also commanded by aCaptainor aLieutenantwith aSergeant(raqib) as second-in-command.

Approximately 3 to 4 companies make up a CSFBattalion,which is commanded by an officer of fullColonelrank.

The Baton platoons are equipped with batons and shields, the gas platoon is responsible for the deployment ofTeargas,and the armed platoon usually carries Assault Rifles - usually theAK 47variants, and is organized like aLight InfantryRiflesplatoon. However, under emergency laws and martial law, the non-armed CSF units can be converted into armed units, and they are additionally equipped withLMGs,recoilless riflesandsniper riflesfor anti-insurgency operations.

Also, the three-part deployment of CSF is not applicable in regions like theNorth Sinai,where all units are armed at all times.

Recruitment

The Central Security Forces personnel consists of three categories;

• Commissioned Officers(graduated from thePolice Collegeof 4 Academic years), who enter the service with the rank ofLieutenant.They are recruited via national-level exams for Police officers, they receive their commission from thePresident;
• Sub-officers(graduated fromPolice Schoolof 2 Academic years), they are equivalent to theNon-commissioned officersof theArmy;and
• Conscripts(of 6 months training) recruited entirely from the low educated recruits, as the more educated and college graduates usually end up in the different branches of the regular military service. Conscripts can later be promoted to the ranks of sub-officers if they continue in the service beyond their compulsory terms and if they get a higher education and sit for the mandatory exams for entering sub-officer ranks. There is high competition among conscripts to extend their service and to become regularized troops, this is because of the high rate of unemployment in Egypt. A conscript enters the force as a "Private Recruit" and is promoted to "Private First Class" after 2 years of service. At the time of demobilization/release from compulsory 3 years' service, many who have passed their 10th grade in school, are at the rank ofAreeforCorporaland can command asectionof 10-12 conscripts and 1 riot vehicle. Less educated or illiterate conscripts, however, have to retire at the rank of Private First Class. Those among the Corporals who wish can sit for exams to extend their service and receive the rank of Deputy Sergeant or Junior Sergeant. Most of the conscripts/NCOs are forced to retire at 52 years of age with the rank ofSergeantwith no chance of advancement if they do not have a college degree. Less than 2% of conscripts advance into the commissioned officer ranks.

Ranks

Officers -

• Director General(aLieutenant Generalranking officer) (Fariq)
• Major General(Liwa)
• Brigadier General(Amid)
• Colonel(Aqid)
• Lieutenant Colonel(Moqaddem)
• Major(Raed)
• Captain(Naqib)
• First Lieutenant(Mulazim Awal)
• Lieutenant(Mulazim)

Sub-officers-

• Sergeant First Class(Raqib awwal) - this rank is held only by the two or three senior-most NCOs in a Battalion.
• Sergeant(Raqib)
• Deputy Sergeant/Junior Sergeant (Raqib Musaaed) - first NCO rank
• Corporal(Areef) - after 3 years of compulsory service, it is usually held by Section/Troop leaders.

Conscripts -

• Private First Class/Junior Corporal/Squad Leader (Musaed areef)
• Private Recruit/Conscript (Mujannad)

See also

• Law Enforcement in Egypt
• National Security Agency (Egypt)
• Mohamed Mahmoud Graffiti
• List of paramilitary organizations

References

This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.Country Studies.Federal Research Division.

External links

• [1]Paramilitary forces at ORBAT
• Egyptian Armed Forces
• CSF at Egypt Country Study
• CIA World Factbook
• FAS
• GlobalSecurity