History

19th Baluch (SSG Pak)[edit]

SSG Pak was raised by amalgamating 7th/10th Baluch (19 Baluch) and 312 Garrison Company. Based out of Cherat and Attock, the SSG was created in 1956. In the same year, 19 Baluch was selected^{[by whom?]} for conversion to a special operation force. Consequently, the SSG has inherited many of the traditions and insignia of the Baloch Regiment. The 19th Baluch Regiment's first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel (later Major General) Aboobaker Osman Mitha^[3] who commanded it for six years till 1961.^[4] The first commander of its Alpha Company was Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Gaideen Khan Abdullai Mahsud. Their initial training and orientation as regards tactics was based on the US Special Forces pattern with whom they co-operated closely in the Cold War years.^[3] The SSG initially had 6 companies and each company had specialization units, specialized in desert, mountain, ranger, and underwater warfare.^[3] The desert companies participated in training exercises with US Army Special Forces Mobile Training Team in late 1964. In August 1965, scope of SSG was raised from a battalion size force to larger Special Operations outfit and instead of 19 Baluch (SSG) they simply adopted the name Special Service Group.^[3] The scuba company in Karachi was renowned for its tough physical training.^[3] Later on, Chinese training, tactics, weapons, and equipment were also introduced.^[3]

New SSG Insignia outside SSG garrison and former headquarters at Cherat

1965 India-Pakistan War[edit]

The SSG guerrillas were initially deployed along the Afghan border to repel Afghan incursions into Pakistan, but their first major deployment came during the war of 1965. By 1971, the SSG had grown to 3 battalions with 1 permanently stationed in East Pakistan^{[citation needed]}.

1971 India-Pakistan War[edit]

In 1971, SSG comprised three battalions of which one (3rd Commando Battalion) was stationed in East Pakistan. In one of the raids on an Indian artillery regiment during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, 1 Commando Battalion incapacitated number of their guns.^[3]

1979-1988 Soviet-Afghan War[edit]

During Operation Magistral, it is alleged that the SSG came into regular contact with Soviet forces. One of these incidents was the Battle for Hill 3234, where a company of Soviet paratroopers engaged a force of Mujahideen believed to be SSG. The Mujahideen wore black uniforms with rectangular black-yellow-red stripes.^[5][6] It is claimed by at least two sources that the Mujahideen were actually members of the SSG.^[7] According to the Soviet estimates, the SSG lost over 200 men.

Another battle reported as having been fought between the Pakistanis and Soviet troops occurred in Kunar Province in March 1986. But the Russians claim that the battle was actually fought between the GRU 15th Spetsnaz Brigade and the Asama Bin Zaid regiment of the Afghan Mujahideen under Commander Assadullah, belonging to Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf's faction.^[8]

Siachen and Kargil Wars[edit]

The SSG was also active on the eastern border with India and they have fought in Siachen.

Musa Company[edit]

In 1980, the SSG's Musa Company, which was originally formed in 1970 as a combat diver unit, was given the anti-terrorist operations role. Captain Sajjad, who later retired as a lieutenant colonel, was a salvage expert and had the intensive training of under water demolition. Musa Company was trained by British SAS advisers in mid-1981.^[3]

Recent activities[edit]

Recently, SSG has been active in anti-terrorist operations in Pakistan's restive western borders with Afghanistan and fighting Islamic extremists in Pakistani cities such as the Lal Masjid siege^[9] in the operation of generals headquarters in Rawalpindi and the Special Service Group (Navy) took part in the PNS mehran operation.

India believes that SSG unit led an attack across the Line of Control in January 2013 in which Indian soldiers were killed and beheaded.^[10][11] Later in August 2013, a patrol of five Indian soldiers were killed 450 metres inside Indian territory, which India also believes was an action by the SSG.^[12][13] These raids are part of cross border raids launched by both sides. Pakistan has accused India of beheading 12 Pakistani soldiers between 1999-2013.^[14]

On 6 December 2014, a special team of SSG and light commandos tracked down and killed the Global Operations Chief of al-Qaeda Adnan Gulshair el Shukrijumahalong with five other al-Qaeda fighters in Pakistan's South Waziristan