Pakistan's Special Operations Forces: SSG | SSGN | SSW | SOW | SOG

[Zarvan]

 

[ghazi52]

Very impressive ....

 

[blain2]

Gentlemen, I think specific credit for this writing should be given to some of the members at Pakdef. I know a few of them first hand who researched the content by reaching out to retired SSG personnel, spent countless hours editing the first detailed draft and then published it through Pakdef. However the focus of the write up was till Kargil conflict, but it is a significant part of this document. Aside from that write-up, the only other more detailed and accurate account is to be found in three sources, two specifically for the historical context in "Unlikely Beginings" and "The way it was" by Maj Gen Osman Mitha and Brig Zaheer Alam Khan respectively and lastly "SSG Tareekh kay aieenay mai." by Lt Col Ghulam Jilani. However interestingly enough, the pakdef writeup on the SSG predates all three of these sources.

I definitely give credit to Horus for compiling this and adding more contemporary content to it because a lot has gone on with the SSG ever since the US war in Afghanistan started.

Nice write up, impressive force indeed, one thing becomes clear, when it comes India and wars fought to this day, somehow the failure is being shown as lack of propper planning and improper utilization. Guess, this write up should summarize an important fact, going to war with India will always be impropper planning and impropper utilization.

I do not see it that way. In 1965, Pakistan Army was new to the concept of special forces employment. We learned some very good lessons and we applied those in 1971 in a much better way. The SSG had pretty much broken the back of the insurgency right up to the breakout of hostilities with India. Ever since that, SSG has performed well and if I might say so, well above its weight.

In the 1965 war, had the SSG sent smaller teams across the IB, they would have done an exceptionally amazing job because where SSG was employed along the the IB, those detachments did well in conducting raids and harassment of Indian forces along with Infantry units. However the compulsion in 1965 was driven by the needs of the PAF to carry out raids against forward Indian bases. The issues and lessons learned are countless and there are volumes of after action reports filed by those who participated in these missions.

@DESERT FIGHTER

Is it true that boys from 'Musa' still prefer Augs?

Just anecdotal evidence. Nothing that suggests that the entire company prefers Augs. One of the things that the manufacturer talked up was the buoyancy factor for the rifle. It helps when you are wading across with a heavy load and then have to worry about a weapon that has a lot of weight. Due to extensive use of plastic on the Aug, it is much lighter and also floats. In the overall scheme of things, its not much to go by.

1979: Pakistani Special Forces (SSG) cleared the Holy Kaaba of militants

The Grand Mosque Seizure on November 20, 1979, was an armed attack and takeover by armed Islamist dissidents of the Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest place in Islam. The insurgents declared that the Mahdi, or redeemer of Islam, had arrived in the form of one of the insurgents' leaders, Abdullah Hamid Mohammed Al-Qahtani and called on Muslims to obey him.The seizure shocked the Islamic world as hundreds of pilgrims present for the annual hajj were taken hostage, and hundreds of militants, security forces and hostages caught in crossfire were killed in the ensuing battles for control of the site. The siege ended two weeks after the takeover began with militants cleared from the mosque.[2] Following the attack, the Saudi state implemented stricter enforcement of Islamic code.[3]Confusion reigned at the field command, where several senior princes, the heads of the armed forces and military attachés from Pakistan gave advice. Pakistan Army infantry and armoured units deployed in Saudi Arabia were mobilized immediately. Pakistani SSG commandos were rushed to Mecca from Pakistan on Saudi Government's request.In the middle of the day, Saudi troops abseiled from helicopters directly into the courtyard in the center of the mosque. The soldiers were picked off by insurgents holding superior positions. At this point, King Khalid appointed Turki head of the operation.[16] The insurgents broadcast their demands from the mosque loudspeakers, calling for the cutoff of oil exports to the United States and expulsion of all foreign civilian and military experts from the Arabian peninsula.[17] On November 25, the Arab Socialist Action Party - Arabian Peninsula issued a statement from Beirut alleging to clarify the demands of the insurgents. The party, however, denied any involvement of its own in the seizure.[18]Pakistanis were the only forces besides Saudis– as non-Muslims cannot enter the city of Mecca. The Pakistanis asked for permission to end the siege by flooding the mosque and then dropping a high-voltage electric cable to electrocute all present. This suggestion was requested by the then Commandant of the Pakistan Special Services Group, Brigadier Tariq Mehmood[[1]]. This proposal was deemed unacceptable by Saudi authorities. They then used tanks to ram the doors of the mosque and Pakistani Commandos[[2]] then resorted to spraying the mosque with non-lethal gases in order to subdue the occupiers, and dropped grenades into the chambers through holes drilled in the mosque courtyard. The Pakistani commandos stormed the mosque, and used the least amount of force possible to avoid damage to the mosque. They killed most of the insurgents, and managed to force the surrender of the survivors.[19]The battle had lasted more than two weeks, and had officially left "255 pilgrims, troops and fanatics" killed "another 560 injured ... although diplomats suggested the toll was higher." Military casualties were 127 dead and 451 injured.[20]

The Grand Mosque Seizure on November 20, 1979, was an armed attack and takeover by armed Islamist dissidents of the Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest place in Islam. The insurgents declared that the Mahdi, or redeemer of Islam, had arrived in the form of one of the insurgents' leaders, Abdullah Hamid Mohammed Al-Qahtani and called on Muslims to obey him.The seizure shocked the Islamic world as hundreds of pilgrims present for the annual hajj were taken hostage, and hundreds of militants, security forces and hostages caught in crossfire were killed in the ensuing battles for control of the site. The siege ended two weeks after the takeover began with militants cleared from the mosque.[2] Following the attack, the Saudi state implemented stricter enforcement of Islamic code.[3]Confusion reigned at the field command, where several senior princes, the heads of the armed forces and military attachés from Pakistan gave advice. Pakistan Army infantry and armoured units deployed in Saudi Arabia were mobilized immediately. Pakistani SSG commandos were rushed to Mecca from Pakistan on Saudi Government's request.In the middle of the day, Saudi troops abseiled from helicopters directly into the courtyard in the center of the mosque. The soldiers were picked off by insurgents holding superior positions. At this point, King Khalid appointed Turki head of the operation.[16]he insurgents broadcast their demands from the mosque loudspeakers, calling for the cutoff of oil exports to the United States and expulsion of all foreign civilian and military experts from the Arabian peninsula.[17] On November 25, the Arab Socialist Action Party - Arabian Peninsula issued a statement from Beirut alleging to clarify the demands of the insurgents. The party, however, denied any involvement of its own in the seizure.[18]Pakistanis were the only forces besides Saudis– as non-Muslims cannot enter the city of Mecca. The Pakistanis asked for permission to end the siege by flooding the mosque and then dropping a high-voltage electric cable to electrocute all present. This suggestion was requested by the then Commandant of the Pakistan Special Services Group, Brigadier Tariq Mehmood[[1]]. This proposal was deemed unacceptable by Saudi authorities. They then used tanks to ram the doors of the mosque and Pakistani Commandos[[2]] then resorted to spraying the mosque with non-lethal gases in order to subdue the occupiers, and dropped grenades into the chambers through holes drilled in the mosque courtyard. The Pakistani commandos stormed the mosque, and used the least amount of force possible to avoid damage to the mosque. They killed most of the insurgents, and managed to force the surrender of the survivors.[19]The battle had lasted more than two weeks, and had officially left "255 pilgrims, troops and fanatics" killed "another 560 injured ... although diplomats suggested the toll was higher." Military casualties were 127 dead and 451 injured.[20]

This is wiki type of content making rounds. The book "Siege of Mecca" is a good one to go through. What has been attributed to the Pakistani troops was essentially an idea floated by the French to the Saudis. The bulk of the fighting was done by the Saudis with the French providing planning support (and not actively fighting on the ground).

The book has quite a few of the pictures of the operation itself and it shows Saudi troops right in the middle of action in the tunnels and inside the structure of the haram.

 

[Kompromat]

Gentlemen, I think specific credit for this writing should be given to some of the members at Pakdef. I know a few of them first hand who researched the content by reaching out to retired SSG personnel, spent countless hours editing the first detailed draft and then published it through Pakdef. However the focus of the write up was till Kargil conflict, but it is a significant part of this document. Aside from that write-up, the only other more detailed and accurate account is to be found in three sources, two specifically for the historical context in "Unlikely Beginings" and "The way it was" by Maj Gen Osman Mitha and Brig Zaheer Alam Khan respectively and lastly "SSG Tareekh kay aieenay mai." by Lt Col Ghulam Jilani. However interestingly enough, the pakdef writeup on the SSG predates all three of these sources.

I definitely give credit to Horus for compiling this and adding more contemporary content to it because a lot has gone on with the SSG ever since the US war in Afghanistan started.


I do not see it that way. In 1965, Pakistan Army was new to the concept of special forces employment. We learned some very good lessons and we applied those in 1971 in a much better way. The SSG had pretty much broken the back of the insurgency right up to the breakout of hostilities with India. Ever since that, SSG has performed well and if I might say so, well above its weight.

In the 1965 war, had the SSG sent smaller teams across the IB, they would have done an exceptionally amazing job because where SSG was employed along the the IB, those detachments did well in conducting raids and harassment of Indian forces along with Infantry units. However the compulsion in 1965 was driven by the needs of the PAF to carry out raids against forward Indian bases. The issues and lessons learned are countless and there are volumes of after action reports filed by those who participated in these missions.


Just anecdotal evidence. Nothing that suggests that the entire company prefers Augs. One of the things that the manufacturer talked up was the buoyancy factor for the rifle. It helps when you are wading across with a heavy load and then have to worry about a weapon that has a lot of weight. Due to extensive use of plastic on the Aug, it is much lighter and also floats. In the overall scheme of things, its not much to go by.

Please check the credits below on the last page.

 

[Sage]

What is the name of Chinese Special Forces?

They don't have one ....all their forces including Police have their own Spec Ops units ....they are very agile and one fell of marksmen. I have met Captain Sher Khan from SSG ....he had been to China and he was all praise for the Chinese counterparts for their quick moves and target engagements !

 

[Rank]

 

[krash]

Astore one is with the NLI i think ....they also run summer course for the civilians ...

I've met SSG and regular service men from different regiments stationed there for different training courses the few times that I've been there. Apart from the very below par presentation, which I've seen too many times, telling how all the army comes there including the SSG, I specifically remember one mess in-charge there who wasn't from the NLI. Hard to forget meeting a man who has a successful G-IV summit under his belt.

ps: We have a little hand in the idea behind starting those civilian courses there, accidentally though. You'll even see my picture in the presentation of the base/school Btw there's also at least one winter course (skiing) offered for civilians there as well.

 

[Armstrong]

I've met SSG and regular service men from different regiments stationed there for different training courses the few times that I've been there. Apart from the very below par presentation, which I've seen too many times, telling how all the army comes there including the SSG, I specifically remember one mess in-charge there who wasn't from the NLI. Hard to forget meeting a man who has a successful G-IV summit under his belt.

ps: We have a little hand in the idea behind starting those civilian courses there, accidentally though. You'll even see my picture in the presentation of the base/school Btw there's also at least one winter course (skiing) offered for civilians there as well.

Ahhh so you were the chubby moustached guy in pink shorts in that presentation !

 

[Sage]

I've met SSG and regular service men from different regiments stationed there for different training courses the few times that I've been there. Apart from the very below par presentation, which I've seen too many times, telling how all the army comes there including the SSG, I specifically remember one mess in-charge there who wasn't from the NLI. Hard to forget meeting a man who has a successful G-IV summit under his belt.

ps: We have a little hand in the idea behind starting those civilian courses there, accidentally though. You'll even see my picture in the presentation of the base/school Btw there's also at least one winter course (skiing) offered for civilians there as well.

I had opted for Hiking and Tracking ....but then my friends took me out to Quetta ....morons ...Good to know that you had a hand in those courses ....be there when I come back in the vacations ....

 

[krash]

Ahhh so you were the chubby moustached guy in pink shorts in that presentation !

Hahaha! I knew you'd like it I even have a pink Northface beanie to match!

I had opted for Hiking and Tracking ....but then my friends took me out to Quetta ....morons ...Good to know that you had a hand in those courses ....be there when I come back in the vacations ....

That was not nice of them. Although, I'm sitting here desperate to travel Balochistan again.

Haha, a very accidental hand. If I don't lose the battle against my Dad for kicking me back out of Pakistan then we shall slalom down Tantanka and Miaro together for sure.

 

[Sage]

Hahaha! I knew you'd like it I even have a pink Northface beanie to match!




That was not nice of them. Although, I'm sitting here desperate to travel Balochistan again.

Haha, a very accidental hand. If I don't lose the battle against my Dad for kicking me back out of Pakistan then we shall slalom down Tantanka and Miaro together for sure.

Sound like a deal

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

SSGN

Arent those Marines...? I mean SSGN doesnt have G3s.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Arent those Marines...? I mean SSGN doesnt have G3s.

Correct those are Marines.. Pic is from early 2000's (2003)

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

COAS visit to frontline:

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SSGN guys during evac operations in yemen:

 

[nomi007]

A Sikh officer from SSG (Special Services Group) commandos.

great to see this