Fact Sheet: SAF's Participation in the Defeat-ISIS Coalition

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Fact Sheet: SAF's Participation in the Defeat-ISIS Coalition

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)'s involvement in the Defeat-ISIS coalition is an integral component of Singapore's overall counter-terrorism strategy and commitment to the global fight against terror. We go beyond our borders and collaborate with international partners to counter terrorism at source, far from our shores. We are also committed as a responsible member of the international community to stop the spread of terrorism.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen announced in November 2014 that the SAF would be supporting the multinational coalition against the extremist threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Since 2014, the SAF has contributed assets and deployed SAF liaison officers, intelligence fusion officers, imagery analysts, Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) KC-135R tanker aircraft and SAF medical teams in support of the Defeat-ISIS efforts.

A summary of SAF's deployments to the Defeat-ISIS coalition is as follows:

Period Deployment
Since December 2014 Continuous deployment of one SAF liaison officer to the United States Central Command Headquarters.
Since January 2015 Continuous deployment of one Intelligence Fusion Officer in Kuwait.
Since May 2015 Periodic deployment of an RSAF KC-135R tanker aircraft to support air-to-air refuelling operations.
Since September 2015 Continuous deployment of an Imagery Analysis Team to the Combined Joint Task Force Headquarters in Kuwait.
Since June 2017 Continuous deployment of an SAF medical team in Iraq.


These contributions have met specific needs of the multinational coalition effectively. Through these contributions, the SAF personnel involved have also gained valuable operational expertise.

Most recently, the coalition has requested for combat engineer trainers and trainers with tactical weapons and combat tactics expertise to support the evolving operational needs of the coalition forces in Iraq.

The SAF Counter-Terrorism Training Unit (CTTU) will be deployed to Iraq to partner the (i) Australian Defence Force to train the Iraqi Security Forces in tactical-level weapons and combat tactics; and (ii) British Armed Forces to train the Iraqi Security Forces in counter-improvised explosive devices (C-IED). The SAF CTTU team, led by an SAF officer, will comprise combat engineer trainers specialising in C-IED, weapons and combat tactics trainers, and a medical team .

The multinational coalition has made good progress in weakening ISIS and its networks in the Middle East. By contributing to the multinational effort to undermine and destroy ISIS at its source, we are contributing directly to Singapore’s safety and security.

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