The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is commissioning the construction of a new elite mercenary force resembling the French Foreign Legion, a leaked job advertisement has revealed.

According to the site Intelligence Online, an unnamed former French special forces officer is leading the initiative to construct an elite unit that would operate as part of the UAE’s regular army but with foreign recruits.

Based on Abu Dhabi’s decision and managed by an Emirati company, the recruitment drive will take place from July this year to the middle of 2025, resulting in a force comprising of 3,000-4,000 foreign recruits or “Foreign Legion Operators”.

Labelled the Emirati Foreign Legion, the elite force seeks “experienced and highly disciplined” recruits and “individuals who are physically fit, well-trained, and capable of operating under high-stress conditions and adapting to diverse environments”. It will reportedly be deployed to Yemen and Somalia – key targets of the UAE’s foreign policy ambitions in recent years.

Read more: middleeastmonitor.com

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