{"id":52990,"date":"2016-01-17T20:00:02","date_gmt":"2016-01-17T20:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2016\/01\/17\/spanish-army-bolsters-special-forces-against-jihadism\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:53:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:53:39","slug":"spanish-army-bolsters-special-forces-against-jihadism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2016\/01\/17\/spanish-army-bolsters-special-forces-against-jihadism\/","title":{"rendered":"Spanish Army Bolsters Special Forces Against Jihadism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MADRID\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The Spanish Army will strengthen its specialized units against jihadism with the creation of a fourth Special Operations Force, Grupo de Operaciones Especiales\u00a0(GOE). These military groups, framed in the Special Operations Command, Mando de Operaciones Especiales\u00a0(MOE), have been deployed in multinational training missions in Mali and Iraq during the last three years. They also carried out the opening mission in the Central African Republic in 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The foundation of the new GOE is an aftermath of the current operating scenario where special operations forces are developing an essential role. The new unit will enable us to expand our deployment capability in missions abroad,&#8221;\u00a0a Spanish Army source told\u00a0Defense News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The welcoming ceremony for the new GOE\u00a0unit, <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">named GOE <\/span>Granada\u00a0II, took place on Jan.\u00a015 at the headquarters in Alicante. This new unit will join Valencia\u00a0III, Tercio de Ampurd\u00e1n\u00a0IV and Legionario Maderal Oleaga\u00a0XIX. The estimated number of troops for these <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">of this <\/span>four elite <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">Spanish <\/span>Army groups is around 600.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Training in Iraq<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This number will not increase in the short term, but the fourth GOE lays the groundwork for developing a structure that could boost troop levels.\u00a0<span class=\"rte rte-comment\">would have more troops in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The special operations units cannot grow overnight. The Special Operations Command is making a significant effort of recruitment and training that cannot be carried out in large quantities and quickly. Initially we will not have a significant increase of troops but we hope to grow gradually in a medium-term horizon,&#8221;\u00a0the same source said. <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">outlines.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Known as the &#8220;green berets&#8221;\u00a0in the Spanish Army, the MOE is now deployed in Iraq where it is training the Iraqi Army and special forces <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">SOF <\/span>in the cities of Baghdad and Taji in counter-terrorism and emergency response. One of those Iraqi units took part in the battle of Ramadi against ISIS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, the <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">new <\/span>restructuring of special operations in the\u00a0Spanish Army will lead to an organization of &#8220;a group of troops of other existing units in the Army to support special forces operations.\u00a0These units will follow a specific training program to enable them to operate in optimal conditions with special operations groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Among those units we will have NBC [nuclear, biological and chemical protection], EOD [explosive ordnance disposal]\u00a0, electronic warfare, dogs, civil affairs, drones, advanced recognition companies and, of course, a\u00a0helicopter unit trained to work with special operations units.&#8221; the source said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What kind of new materials will this new organization require from\u00a0the Spanish Defense Ministry<span class=\"rte rte-comment\">MoD<\/span>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;<span class=\"rte rte-comment\">It is <\/span>Particularly critical is everything related to intelligence-gathering, night vision and communications.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Spanish Concern in Sahel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The MOE is also deployed in the European Union mission to train the Mali Army against al-Qaida\u00a0in the Islamic Maghreb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alongside with French armed forces, Spanish interests are also very focused on the destabilized scenario of the Sahel, with Mali as its main mission along with other operations to enhance <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">and other enhancing <\/span>military capabilities <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">operations <\/span>in Mauritania and\u00a0Niger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Libya\u00a0is our growing concern abroad,&#8221;\u00a0a Defense Ministry source said. <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">of MoD remarks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2014, the Spanish MoD created the Joint Special Operations Command to coordinate the activities of Army special operations forces <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">SOF <\/span>with the other units from the\u00a0Navy (Naval Special Warfare Force) <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">, FGNE) <\/span>and Air Force (Parachute Combat Engineer\/Sapper Squadron).\u00a0<span class=\"rte rte-comment\">, EZAPAC). <\/span>This Joint Command expects to achieve\u00a0<span class=\"rte rte-comment\">get the <\/span>full operational capability <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">during <\/span>this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Email:\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:evillarejo@defensenews.com\">evillarejo@defensenews.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Twitter: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/villarejo\">@villarejo<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Spanish Army will strengthen its specialized units against jihadism with creation of a fourth Special Operations 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