Editing Sierra Leone (section)

=== Military ===

{{Main|Military of Sierra Leone}}

The Military of Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), are the unified armed forces of Sierra Leone responsible for the territorial security of Sierra Leone's border and defending the national interests of Sierra Leone within the framework of its international obligations. The armed forces were formed after independence in 1961, based on elements of the former British [[Royal West African Frontier Force]] present in the country. The Sierra Leone Armed Forces consist of around 15,500 personnel, comprising the largest Sierra Leone Army,<ref>[http://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/wafrsu/siers100.html Armed forces (Sierra Leone) Jane's Sentinel Security Assessments], June 2008</ref> the Sierra Leone Navy and the Sierra Leone Air Wing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-World-Air-Forces/Summary-Sierra-Leone.html |title=Summary (Sierra Leone) – Jane's World Air Forces |publisher=Janes.com |date=30 July 2010 |access-date=22 August 2010}}</ref>

The [[president of Sierra Leone]] is the [[Commander in Chief]] of the military and the Minister of Defence responsible for defence policy and the formulation of the armed forces.<ref name=radiodemocracy>{{Cite web |url=http://radiodemocracy.sl |title=Radio Democracy |access-date=6 August 2023 |archive-date=7 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107132359/http://radiodemocracy.sl/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

When Sierra Leone gained independence in 1961, the Royal Sierra Leone Military Force was created from the Sierra Leone Battalion of the West African Frontier Force.<ref name="Kaplan">[https://books.google.com/books?id=tv9yAAAAMAAJ&dq=Royal+Sierra+Leone+Military+Force&pg=PA337 ''Area Handbook for Sierra Leone''], Irving Kaplan, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1976, page 337</ref> The military seized control in 1968, bringing the [[National Reformation Council]] into power. On 19 April 1971, when Sierra Leone became a republic, the Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces were renamed the Republic of Sierra Leone Military Force (RSLMF).<ref name="Kaplan" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.daco-sl.org/encyclopedia/1_gov/1_6rslaf.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111070308/http://www.daco-sl.org/encyclopedia/1_gov/1_6rslaf.htm |archive-date=11 January 2010 |title=Partners: Sierra Leone Armed Forces |publisher=Daco-sl.org |access-date=20 May 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The RSLMF remained a single-service organisation until 1979 when the Sierra Leone Navy was established. In 1995 Defence Headquarters was established, and the Sierra Leone Air Wing was formed. The RSLMF was renamed as the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone (AFRSL).