During the Beylical period

Tunisian infantry officers and soldiers in 1840

Military parade of the Tunisian Crimean War contingent (1855), under the command of generals Rechid, Mohamed Chaouch and Osman

The modern Tunisian army was formed in 1831 by Al-Husayn II ibn Mahmud.

The first battalions of the regular modern Tunisian army were created at the same time as the reform of the Ottoman army and after the French conquest of Algeria in 1830.^[1]

At the initiative of Minister of Hussein Bey II, Mamluk Shakir Saheb Ettabaâ, a battalion of Tunisians was established in Tunis in January 1831. The next year, another battalion was raised, composed mainly of Sahelians and based in Sousse. Soldiers and officers were trained, equipped and dressed in European fashion, like the first regiments of the Ottoman army after the reforms of Sultan Mahmud II which followed the removal of the Janissary Corps.

Ahmed Bey I built on the initial reforms of the reign of his uncle, Hussein Bey II and initiated more extensive changes in both the Tunisian army and state. The former changes included the raising of Tunisia's first regular cavalry regiment in 1838, the opening of a military academy in 1840 and the creation of four conscript based regiments of infantry by 1842. Four artillery units were organised between 1838 and 1847, to be brigaded with the conscripted infantry.^[2]

Fortifications

Fort of Bizerte

Beylical artillery in 1900

The country was surrounded by 110 fortresses garrisoned by detachments ranging in strength from 50 to 200 men. These comprised infantry and some artillery. They were responsible for ensuring the safety of cities, borders and coasts, the latter under the authority of the Ministry of the Navy. These forts were also used as residences by senior officials and governors, as well as serving as prisons or granaries and depots for military supplies such as gunpowder and ammunition. Every city and large village had one of these forts.

Tunis (14 parmi les plus grands du pays) dont les borjs Flifel, El Rabta, Gorjani, Bab Saadoun et Sidi Abdesselam Le Bardo (8) dontles borjs El Kebir et de La Manouba La Goulette avec les borjs Chikly, Sidi Bou Saïd et Halk El Oued Ghar El Melh (3) Bizerte (4) dont la kasbah Le Kef (16) dont les borjs El Jdid et Asker El Nidhami Sousse (13) dont le borj Sidi Mahjoub Mahdia (2) Monastir (10) dont le borj Sidi Amar Kairouan (7) dont le borj Dahmani

Sfax (12) dont les borjs El Tabenna et El Rassas Djerba (6) dont le borj El Kebir Tabarka (2) dont le borj El Jazira El Hamma Gabès Zarzis Béja Kélibia Hammamet Gafsa Sidi Daoud El Haouaria

The Kasbah of Tunis, fortress and former residence of the Bey of Tunis, had a special status. Inherited from the Hafsid period, it was refurbished and enlarged by the Ottomans becoming their center of power. It could accommodate up to 4,000 Ottoman troops together with their weapons and equipment. It also housed the apartments of the Dey and senior officials of the Turkish troops from Tunis plus some departments of the Chancery. It was transformed into barracks by the French troops during the Protectorate and razed after Tunisian Independence.

During the French occupation

During the period of the French Protectorate (1881-1956), Tunisians were recruited in significant numbers into the French Army, serving as tirailleurs (infantry) and spahis (cavalry). These units saw active service in Europe during both World Wars, as well as in Indo-China prior to 1954. The only exclusively Tunisian military force in existence under the French administration was the Beylical Guard.

After Tunisian Independence

On 21 June 1956 the transfer of about 9,500 Tunisian soldiers who had served in the French army and the Beylical Guard, made possible the speedy establishment of a combined arms regiment. The necessary equipment was made available to the young state from French and other sources. Of this number 25 officers, 250 warrant officers and 1,250 soldiers were veterans of the French army. On 30 June 1956 the new national Tunisian army was officially established by decree. The integration of the Beylical Guard, the induction of conscripts performing their military service as mandated in January 1957, and the recall of reservists enabled the army to expand from three to twelve battalions numbering 20,000 men in 1960. Approximately 60% of forces were used for border patrol and surveillance duties. The Tunisian army experienced combat for the first time in 1958; against French units crossing the southern border in pursuit of Algerian FLN fighters. However, the main battle experience of the Tunisian army, since its creation, occurred during the Bizerte crisis, when over 600 Tunisian soldiers were killed in combat against French forces.

Tunisia has contributed military forces to United Nations peacekeeping missions, including an army company to UNAMIR during the Rwandan Genocide. In his book Shake Hands with the Devil, Canadian force commander Roméo Dallaire gave the Tunisian soldiers high credit for their work and effort in the conflict and referred to them as his "ace in the hole". From 1960 the Tunisian army has participated in the following missions:

• Congo (1960–1963): 2,261 troops (1,100 from 1962) involved the replacement of the Belgian colonial army;
• Ethiopia-Eritrea (1977–1978);
• Western Sahara (1991–1997): 9 officers go there as observers of the cease-fire between Morocco and the Polisario Front;
• Cambodia (1992–1993): a contingent of 850 men participating in the disarmament of armed groups, protect refugees and treats more than 10,000 Cambodians. Sixty more men involved in the UN mission in that country;
• Somalia (1993–1994): soldiers provide security for UN facilities while doctors provide care to the population;
• Rwanda (1993–1995): 60 men are part of the African observers at the beginning of the Civil War. In 1994, a contingent of 826 soldiers deployed to the northwest of the country; In his written account of the Rwandan Genocide; Shake hands with the devil, Canadian General Romeo Dallaire gave the Tunisian UNAMIR-contingent extensive credit for their skills and efforts in the conflict, referring to them as his "ace in the hole".
• Burundi (1994);
• Haiti (1994–1995);
• Namibia (1994–1997);
• Comoros (1997–1998);
• Kosovo (1999);
• Democratic Republic of Congo (2000 -): 27 officers working there as observers and more than 200 soldiers provide security of the headquarters of UN command and personalities on the ground.

1,545 Tunisian soldiers have received United Nations medals for serving a minimum of 90 days as members of one or another United Nations peacekeeping missions.

During the 2011 Libyan Civil War, Tunisian forces, mostly border guards, saw some limited action when fighting between Libyan rebels and loyalist soldiers spilled over the border and clashes ensued between the Libyan Army and the Tunisian Army, resulting in at least one Tunisian civilian being injured by a Libyan rocket.

In October 2016, a British Short Term Training Team of 40 troops provided operational planning, intelligence, surveillance, and patrolling training to about 200 Tunisian personnel of the Tunisian 1st Infantry Brigade, to help Tunisia to better guard their land borders.^[3] The training, provided under the auspices of the 4th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), involved theoretical and practical exercises.