Clinton O’Neill appointed army commander

Colonel Clinton O’Neill has been appointed brigadier and commander of the Armed Forces of Malta, the National Security Ministry said on Tuesday.

O’Neill will replace former commander Jeffrey Curmi who retired and is now CEO at Transport Malta.

The ministry also appointed Colonel Edric Zahra as deputy commander to replace Colonel Mark Mallia who was appointed to a new role at Identity Malta.

The appointments were made by National Security Minister Byron Camilleri.

O’Neill joined the AFM in 1992 and was a pilot in the army’s air wing, which he later headed. In 2013, O’Neill received the medal for service to the Republic on behalf of the AFM’s Air Wing.

He most recently headed the Operations, Plans and Intelligence Branch at army headquarters. O’Neill also formed part of Frontex, the European and Border Coast Guard agency.

During his career, he was involved in overseas operations as part of a mobile training team that served in Senegal, Israel and Libya. As part of the EU’s joint operation Nettuno, he also served in Lampedusa and Sicily.

Colonel Zahra joined the AFM in 1999 and over the past five years headed the AFM’s First Regiment.

He has specialised training in ship boarding techniques and served as a platoon commander in C-Company.