King attends annual Flag Parade

Amman — His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), on Thursday presented the Great Arab Revolt Flag to the 39th Jafar Bin Abi Talib Mechanised Battalion during the annual Flag Parade at Al Rayah parade ground in the Royal Hashemite Court.

The Flag Parade, attended by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, featured the participation of 1,000 JAF personnel, and was attended by nearly 5,000 invitees. 

The parade culminated in the presenting of the Great Arab Revolt Flag to the 39th Jafar Bin Abi Talib Mechanised Battalion, symbolising the JAF’s role as the guardians of the values of the Great Arab Revolt, which have been the anchor of Jordan’s independence and modernisation, according to a Royal Court statement.

The flag will remain with the 39th Jafar Bin Abi Talib Mechanised Battalion, after having been carried by the 1st Prince Al Hussein Bin Abdullah II Royal Mechanised Battalion.

In the next Flag Parade, another unit will receive the Flag from the 39th Jafar Bin Abi Talib Mechanised Battalion to celebrate the values and significance of the Great Arab Revolt in the national consciousness through this annual occasion, which marks Army Day and the anniversary of the Great Arab Revolt.

Since its formation in 1965, 25 members of the 39th Jafar Bin Abi Talib Mechanised Battalion have fallen in battle, 13 of whom fell defending Palestine in the June 1967 War.

A 21-gun salute welcomed King Abdullah upon his arrival at Al Rayah parade ground in the Royal Red Motorcade, escorted by cavalry.

His Majesty was received by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat.

The Jordan Armed Forces Music Band played the national anthem, marking the start of the parade, after which the King proceeded to inspect the parade.

The parade reflected discipline and precision through well-coordinated marches, featuring musical pieces from national and international heritage, as well as shows by cavalry and camel units, and a Royal Jordanian Air Force air display.

The JAF Music Band performed a number of musical pieces while the participating formations marched in quick time in front of the dais at Al Rayah. This was followed by the flag presentation.

In a segment inspired by their historical role in the JAF, the Royal Cavalry Unit and the Royal Camel Unit performed a joint show, as Royal Jordanian Air Force fighter jets and helicopters flew over the parade ground.

The parade concluded with the participating units saluting the King before exiting the field, with the national anthem played.

The first Flag Parade was held on June 2, 2016, to mark the Centennial of the Great Arab Revolt, which was launched by Sharif Hussein Bin Ali on June 10, 1916.

The parade is an annual national military spectacle, inspired by a military tradition that dates back to the establishment of the Emirate of Transjordan, reflecting discipline and precision through well-coordinated marches.

The JAF Music Band, the Hamzah Bin Abdul Muttalib Royal Guards Brigade, the 39th Jafar Bin Abi Taleb Mechanised Battalion, the 1st Prince Al Hussein Bin Abdullah II Royal Mechanised Battalion, the Royal Camel Unit, the Royal Jordanian Air Force and the Royal Artillery Platoon participated in this year’s Flag Parade.

Royal family members, senior government officials, heads of security agencies, and senior JAF officers, as well as ambassadors to Jordan, and representatives of civil society organisations and local and international media attended the parade.

Members of the families of fallen soldiers from the JAF and security agencies, veterans and retired servicemen, and invited guests from friendly Arab and foreign countries were also in attendance.

The 39th Jafar Bin Abi Taleb Mechanised Battalion was formed on March 20, 1965, by order of His Majesty the late King Hussein in the Central Jordan Valley.

It fought in the 1967 battles in Palestine, the Karameh Battle, and the war of attrition that followed. The Battalion also served in peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan in 2012.

The Battalion, part of the 48th Princess Alia Mechanised Brigade, received the King’s Colour on May 8, 2017, and it undertakes security duties on the northern and western borders within the Northern Military Zone.