Pakistani Special Service Group (SSG)

Around 1956 The Pakistani Army established its own Special Forces, known as Special Service Group. It was modeled on the British SAS and US Special Forces. Headquarter is located in Tarbela Cantonment, with eight battalions led by major-general, then divided by four companies with over 700 hundred men and then into platoons with 10 man teams. 

The Group was raised by 19th Baluch and 312th Garrison company and because of that the SSG inherited traditions of the Baloch Regiment. Because of the Cold War years the training and tactics were based on US special forces, whom they worked together during that time and later Chinese trainings and tactics, as well as weapons were introduced. 

The very first major deployment was during the Indo-Pakistan war in 1965. It is also known that the SSG was involved in Soviet Afghan war, where during Operation Magistral the SSG fought against the Soviet paratroopers in the incident of  Battle For Hill 3234. Also they encountered the Soviet troops in Kunar province in 1986 early spring, but the Russian claim the battle was between GRU Spetsnaz 15th Brigade and Asama Bin Zaid regiment Afghan Mujahideen forces. They also were active during the Siachen and Kirgil War. Most recent activity was in 2010 when they deployed 300 commandos of SSG into the aid of Saudi Arabia and Yemen to fight against the rebels of Houthi, who were opposing both countries during the Operation Scorched Earth. On 6th December of 2014 the Special Services Group and Light Commandos hunted down and killed the Global Operations Chief of Al-Qaeda Adnan Gulshair el Shukrijumah with his 5 guards, who was the highest ranking commander to be killed after after the killing of Osama Bin Laden, in South Waziristan region, when they were on a counter terrorist operation  Zarb-e-Azb.    

 The SSG regularly engages in a training with the Turkish Special Forces, starting from December of 1998.  They also held similar training exercises with the US Special Forces ‘’Inspired Ventures’’  in 1980-2000.  In 2006 they conducted exercises with the Chinese Special Forces for 8 days. At Cherat the Group was also reported to train with Jordanian Royal Special Forces and Iranian Quds Forces.