Colonel Clinton O’Neill has been appointed commander of the Armed Forces of Malta and Col Edric Zahra has become deputy commander, the government has announced.   

The appointments follow the resignation of Brigadier Jeffrey Curmi, who now heads Transport Malta, and Col Mark Mallia, who has taken the helm of Identity Malta. 

Colonel O’Neill joined the AFM in 1992 and was a Sergeant Pilot before being commissioned as a  Second Lieutenant in 1994 . He is a graduate in Information Technology and international maritime law.

Between 1995 and 1997 he followed infantry training courses in Italy and the United States. In 1999 he followed a Basic Staff Training Course in the UK.

He also followed various courses that enabled him to fly all of the AFM's aircraft. He is the second pilot to go on to head the AFM, the other being Brigadier Carmel Vassallo, now serving as Malta's ambassador to Rome. 

Col O'Neill also followed courses in search and rescue courses in the US and the  Combined Strategic Intelligence Training Programme hosted by the Defence Intelligence Agency in Washington.

Col O'Neill served as officer commanding the Air Wing and a staff officer at AFM headquarters. His duties also included periods of service in Senegal, Israel, Libya, Lampedusa and Sicily.

He became AFM deputy commander last year. 

Col Edric Zahra

Col Edric Zahra is a graduate of the International Maritime Law Institute and the American Naval College and also holds degrees in geography, anthropology and the Maltese language.

He joined the AFM in 1999 and followed training courses in the USA, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Greece and the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre. His studies included peacekeeping, terrorism and maritime law enforcement.

His appointments within the AFM included command of the Rapid Deployment Team, service in the Maritime Squadron, and Officer Commanding the First Regiment.