Egyptian Army facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Egyptian Army
Egyptian Army insignia
Country	Egypt
Type	Army
Role	Land warfare
Size	310,000 active<ref name=IISS2014>

The Egyptian Army is the biggest part of the Egyptian Armed Forces. It's like the main ground force that protects Egypt. This modern army was started a long time ago by a very important leader named Muhammad Ali Pasha, who ruled Egypt from 1805 to 1849. He is often called the founder of modern Egypt.

The Egyptian Army has been involved in several important events throughout history. In the 20th century, they fought in five wars against the State of Israel. These wars happened in 1948, 1956, 1967, 1967–1970, and 1973. During the Suez Crisis of 1956, the army also faced forces from Britain and France.

The Egyptian army also took part in the North Yemen civil war and a short conflict called the Libyan-Egyptian War in July 1977. Their most recent big operation was Operation Desert Storm in 1991. In this operation, they helped free Kuwait from Iraqi control. The Egyptian army was the second-largest group of allied forces in that mission.

In 2014, the army had about 310,000 soldiers. Around 90,000 to 120,000 of these soldiers were full-time professionals. The rest were conscripts, which means they were required to serve for a period of time.

What is the Egyptian Army?

The Egyptian Army is the largest part of Egypt's military. Its main job is to protect the country on land. It uses many different types of equipment, like tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery.

A Brief History of the Army

The modern Egyptian Army began with Muhammad Ali Pasha. He wanted to create a strong army for Egypt. Over the years, the army has grown and changed a lot. It has played a big role in Egypt's history and in protecting its borders.

Important Conflicts and Missions

The Egyptian Army has been involved in several conflicts. These include:

• Wars with Israel: The army fought in five wars against Israel. These conflicts shaped much of the region's history.
• The Suez Crisis: In 1956, the Egyptian Army also faced forces from Britain and France during a conflict over the Suez Canal.
• Other Regional Conflicts: They were involved in the civil war in North Yemen and a brief war with Libya.
• Operation Desert Storm: In 1991, the Egyptian Army joined other countries to free Kuwait from Iraq. They were a very important part of this mission.

How Many Soldiers are There?

The Egyptian Army is quite large. In 2014, it had about 310,000 soldiers. Some of these soldiers are professionals who choose to make the army their career. Others are conscripts, meaning they serve for a set time as part of a national service program.

Images for kids

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  King Farouk I of Egypt inspecting army units in Abdeen Square

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  Members of the Free Officers gathered after the revolution. From left to right: Zakaria Mohieddin, Abdel Latif Boghdadi, Kamel el-Din Hussein, Gamal Abdel Nasser (seated), Abdel Hakim Amer, Muhammad Naguib, Youssef Seddik and Ahmed Shawki

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  Egyptian army in Sanaa in 1962

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  DIA estimate of Egyptian Army dispositions as of 1 January 1967.

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  Egyptian soldiers on the east bank. Notice the carts. Pulled by two men, these transports greatly assisted in the movement of weapons and matériel on the east bank, while no vehicles had yet crossed.

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  Egyptian forces crossing the Suez Canal on October 7

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  Egyptian soldiers with M113 armored personnel carriers during a demonstration for visiting dignitaries, part of Operation Desert Shield.

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  Lieutenant insignia

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  First Lieutenant insignia

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  Captain insignia

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  Major insignia

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  Lieutenant Colonel insignia

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  Colonel insignia

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  Brigadier General insignia

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  Major General insignia

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  Lieutenant General insignia

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  Colonel General insignia

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  Field Marshal insignia

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  Chief Warrant Officer insignia

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  Warrant Officer insignia

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  Staff Sergeant insignia

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  Sergeant insignia

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  Corporal insignia

See also

In Spanish: Ejército de tierra de Egipto para niños