Abdulla Shamaal
Encyclopedia
Abdulla Shamaal MA MSc psc (born 5 July 1969) is a Brigadier General
in the Maldives National Defence Force
(MNDF) and serves as Commander of the Malé area. He also currently oversees International Defence Cooperation liaison in the Ministry of Defence and National Security.
General Shamaal was born to a middle class family in the capital of Maldives
, Male'. After joining the Maldives National Defence Force
in April 1988, he attended various training schools both locally and abroad. General Shamaal was commissioned to the rank of lieutenant after graduating from the Pakistan Military Academy
with a bachelors degree. Since then he has been posted twice for training in the United States Army Infantry School
at Fort Benning
, Georgia, USA, in 1996 and 2000.
Prior to taking over the command of MNDF Male Area he was the Principal Director - Military Liaison at the Integrated Headquarters of the MNDF. He had been the Defense Attaché (DA) from Maldives to India
. He was the country's first Defense Attaché to serve abroad in a Maldivian mission.
Before taking over the post of DA in India in 2005, he was staff officer, Foreign Training Coordination in the Ministry of Defense and National Security. He was also the assistant to the commanding officer of the Quick Reaction Force, was his parent unit, where he was in the infantry arm. His previous appointments include staff officer to the chief of staff, training instructor and member of the MNDF Scholarship Board.
and Security Analysis
at University of Lancaster in the United Kingdom
from 1998 to 1999, where his research focused on international defense and security issues. General Shamaal is also a graduate of Defense Services Staff College, Wellington, India, where he pursued his second masters degree, obtaining a first class result in Defense and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras
in 2003.
He has also attended various conferences and seminars on security
and defense
strategy
, including Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies Executive Seminar at National Defense University
(NDU) in Washington DC in May 2001; Non- Lethal Weapons Seminar at Bangladesh
Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT) in September 2003; and Asia Public Affairs Symposium in Singapore
in February 2003; as well as other conferences in New Delhi
.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in the Maldives National Defence Force
Maldives National Defence Force
The Maldives National Defence Force is the combined security organisation responsible for defending the security and sovereignty of the Maldives, having the primary task of being responsible for attending to all internal and external security needs of the Maldives, including the protection of the...
(MNDF) and serves as Commander of the Malé area. He also currently oversees International Defence Cooperation liaison in the Ministry of Defence and National Security.
General Shamaal was born to a middle class family in the capital of Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
, Male'. After joining the Maldives National Defence Force
Maldives National Defence Force
The Maldives National Defence Force is the combined security organisation responsible for defending the security and sovereignty of the Maldives, having the primary task of being responsible for attending to all internal and external security needs of the Maldives, including the protection of the...
in April 1988, he attended various training schools both locally and abroad. General Shamaal was commissioned to the rank of lieutenant after graduating from the Pakistan Military Academy
Pakistan Military Academy
The Pakistan Military Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service military academy. It is located at Kakul near Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....
with a bachelors degree. Since then he has been posted twice for training in the United States Army Infantry School
United States Army Infantry School
The United States Army Infantry School is located in Fort Benning, Georgia. It is made up of the following components:*192d Infantry Brigade...
at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia, USA, in 1996 and 2000.
Prior to taking over the command of MNDF Male Area he was the Principal Director - Military Liaison at the Integrated Headquarters of the MNDF. He had been the Defense Attaché (DA) from Maldives to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was the country's first Defense Attaché to serve abroad in a Maldivian mission.
Before taking over the post of DA in India in 2005, he was staff officer, Foreign Training Coordination in the Ministry of Defense and National Security. He was also the assistant to the commanding officer of the Quick Reaction Force, was his parent unit, where he was in the infantry arm. His previous appointments include staff officer to the chief of staff, training instructor and member of the MNDF Scholarship Board.
Trainings and Experiences
General Shamaal obtained a Masters Degree in DefenseDefense (military)
Defense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
and Security Analysis
Security Analysis
Security Analysis is a book written by professors Benjamin Graham and David Dodd of Columbia Business School, which laid the intellectual foundation for what would later be called value investing. The work was first published in 1934, following unprecedented losses on Wall Street...
at University of Lancaster in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from 1998 to 1999, where his research focused on international defense and security issues. General Shamaal is also a graduate of Defense Services Staff College, Wellington, India, where he pursued his second masters degree, obtaining a first class result in Defense and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
in 2003.
He has also attended various conferences and seminars on security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
and defense
Defense (military)
Defense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
strategy
Strategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
, including Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies Executive Seminar at National Defense University
National Defense University
The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Navy Vice Admiral...
(NDU) in Washington DC in May 2001; Non- Lethal Weapons Seminar at Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT) in September 2003; and Asia Public Affairs Symposium in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in February 2003; as well as other conferences in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
.