Hundreds of recruits training to join Cameroon’s elite Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) have successfully completed a demanding 400-kilometre trek, arriving at their base in Man O’ War Bay, Limbe, in the South West Region.
This journey, a crucial part of their training regimen, began on June 7 and lasted 11 days.
The trainees trekked from Limbe to Melong in the Littoral Region and back, with 618 recruits completing the arduous journey.
Unfortunately, one trainee gave up along the way, and another had to be hospitalised.
The trainees were warmly received at Man O’ War Bay by the base supervisor, Colonel Henri Belinga, and the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Viang Mekala.
Col. Belinga emphasised the significance of this achievement, stating that the successful completion of the journey “confirmed that they are now BIR soldiers.”
Throughout the trek, the recruits were trailed by a team of cooks, medical personnel, and logistics officers who ensured their needs were met whenever necessary.
The 400-kilometer trek comes after four months of intensive training, a tradition that has been a part of BIR’s preparation process since 2007.
While these 600 trainees were undertaking their journey in Limbe, hundreds of other recruits were completing a similar trek in Maroua, in the Far North Region.
These efforts are part of a broader initiative by the Ministry of Defence, which recruited 1,300 young men for BIR training earlier this year, along with 700 recruits for the Presidential Guard.
The BIR, known for its expertise in territorial defence and counter-terrorism operations, has been at the forefront of combating Boko Haram in the Far North Region and addressing the separatist conflict in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions.
