{"id":232,"date":"2019-10-28T09:42:20","date_gmt":"2019-10-28T09:42:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.declassifieduk.org\/the-uks-secret-military-unit-that-answers-to-saudi-arabian-commanders\/"},"modified":"2023-06-17T17:41:22","modified_gmt":"2023-06-17T16:41:22","slug":"the-uks-secret-military-unit-that-answers-to-saudi-arabian-commanders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.declassifieduk.org\/the-uks-secret-military-unit-that-answers-to-saudi-arabian-commanders\/","title":{"rendered":"The UK\u2019s secret military unit that answers to Saudi Arabian commanders"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The British programme, details of which have long been kept secret from the British parliament and public, involves training the Saudis in \u201cinternal security\u201d. Paid for by the Saudi regime \u2013 including the salaries and living costs of the British soldiers \u2013 the team\u2019s role is controversial given the kingdom\u2019s repressive political system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is also likely to raise questions since the British soldiers are embedded in a branch of the Saudi military that is involved in the devastating war in Yemen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard (BMM SANG) trains the de facto protection force of the ruling House of Saud and was established in 1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An elite, 130,000-strong force<\/a> with soldiers drawn from tribes loyal to the ruling dynasty, the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) is separate from the regular Saudi army. Its central role is to defend the regime from a coup<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n