The Nine most elite special forces in the world

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Elite special forces are some of the best-trained and formidable units that a country can boast.

They go where other soldiers fear to tread, scoping out potential threats, taking out strategic targets, and conducting daring rescue missions.

These really are the best of the best.

Although it’s extremely difficult to rank these forces relative to each other, there are some units that rise above the rest in terms of their track record and the fear they instill in their adversaries. These soldiers have been through weeks of rigorous training exercises explicitly designed to weed out those who can’t hit their exacting standards.

In a world where the importance of the sheer size of a country’s military forces is no longer a guide to their effectiveness, these soldiers are the ones state’s look to in order to get the job done

9) US Marines are pretty hardcore in their own right. Below, a US Marine drinks the blood of a cobra during a jungle survival exercise with the Thai Navy as part of the 'Cobra Gold 2014' joint military exercise.

 

8) But the US Navy SEALS might one-up even the marines. To join their ranks, you have to be able to do a minimum of 42 push-ups in two minutes, 50 sit-ups in two minutes, and run 1.5 miles in 11 minutes. And that's BEFORE training even starts.

 

6) The British Special Air Service (or SAS as they are more commonly known), are the infantry counterparts to the SBS. Their insignia bears the famous phrase 'Who dares wins.' Asked about the importance of the SAS's role in the fighting that followed the Iraq war, US General Stanley McChrystal responded: 'Essential. Could not have done it without them.'

 

5) Israel's Sayeret Matkal is another of the world's most elite units. Its primary purpose is intelligence-gathering and it often operates deep behind enemy lines. During the selection camp (Gibbush), would-be recruits endure hardcore training exercises while being constantly monitored by doctors and psychologists. Only the strongest get in.

 

4) Of all the counter-terrorism forces in the world, few can compete with France's National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN). The group is 200-strong and trained specifically to respond to hostage situations. They claim to have freed over 600 people since they were formed in 1973. It is against French law to publish pictures of their faces.

 

3) Russia's Alpha Group is one of the best known special forces units in the world. This elite anti-terrorism unit was created by the KGB in 1974 and remains under its modern day counterpart, the FSB.

 

2) Spain's Unidad de Operaciones Especiales, or the Naval Special Warfare Force as it has become since 2009, has long been one of Europe's best respected special forces. Originally established as the volunteer Amphibious Climbing Company unit in 1952, it has since followed the SAS's example to become an elite fighting force.

  

1) The Special Services Group, SSG, in Pakistan is better known in the country as the 'Black Storks' due to the commandos' unique headgear. Training reportedly includes a 36-mile march in 12 hours and a five-mile run in 20 minutes in full gear.

 

In October 2009, SSG commandos stormed an office building and rescued 39 people taken hostage by suspected Taliban militants after an attack on the army's headquarters.

 
 
 

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syed-muhammad-ali-shah

My life. My choices. My problems. My mistakes. My lessons. Not your business. Mind your own problems before you talk about mine. My life is not your story to tell.

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