A new cohort of soldiers from the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) has completed its training. On Friday, December 13, at the expansive BIR base in Maroua-Salack, in the Far North region, 755 soldiers received their graduation certificates. Simultaneously, at the Man O’ War Bay base in Limbe, in the South-West region, another 378 recruits also completed their training. In total, 1,133 new soldiers are joining the BIR ranks for the 2024 contingent.

According to a defense expert who requested anonymity, the training for soldiers in the Rapid Intervention Battalion, an elite unit attached to the army, lasts nine months. “The first three months are known as FCB (Formation commune de base, or Basic Joint Training). After this phase, each recruit is granted a two-week leave. During this leave, they are prohibited from wearing the official BIR uniform and instead wear what is called the ‘uniforme cafard,’” the source explained.

After the two-week leave, recruits resume their training for an additional three months. This phase focuses on specialization, as BIR soldiers are integral to the army. During this period, they acquire fundamental skills related to their future careers as soldiers in the army.

Upon completing this phase, the recruits are considered full-fledged soldiers and are authorized to wear the official BIR uniform. They then take their oath. The final three months of training are dedicated to obtaining the Certificat d’Aptitude Technique (CAT1). This certificate qualifies them for promotion to the rank of corporal two years later.

For the 2024 contingent, the initial cohort consisted of 1,300 recruits. However, the number decreased during training for various reasons, including desertion, dismissals for insubordination, drug use, and physical inaptitude.

The official graduation ceremonies for the 2024 contingent were presided over by Colonel François Pelene, BIR coordinator and training supervisor, at Maroua-Salack, and by Colonel Henry Belinga, commander of the Man O’ War Bay base, in Limbe.

According to experts, the BIR, Cameroon’s most well-equipped and elite unit, comprises at least 5,000 personnel. With multiple bases across the country, the BIR has been deployed since 2014 in the fight against Boko Haram in the Far North region and since 2017 against armed separatists in the Northwest and Southwest regions. Its troops are also stationed along Cameroon’s eastern border to counter incursions by armed groups from the Central African Republic.

Source: Sbbc