Pakistan Holds Joint Military Training Exercises With Saudi, Bahraini Forces

Joint military training between Pakistan and Saudi forces

DESPARDES — The joint military training “Samsam 7” between Pakistan Army troops and Royal Saudi Land Forces has commenced at Hafr Al-Batin in Saudi Arabia.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the training will take place for two weeks.

The exercise will focus on counter-terrorism operations including cordon and search, combat patrols and dealing with IEDs.

The drill is a series of ongoing bilateral military exercises between the Saudi Forces and Pakistan Army, said ISPR.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have very strong military ties. This cooperation is based on bilateral security cooperation agreement of 1982, under which Pakistan is committed to assisting the kingdom in training and defense production capabilities, according to Dawn.

Former army chief Gen Raheel Sharif is, meanwhile, leading the coalition of militaries of Muslim countries that were put together by Saudi Arabia to counter terrorism.

Earlier on Jan 13, the closing ceremony of Pakistan and Bahrain joint Exercise “AL BADAR-IV 2020″ was held at National Counter Terrorism Center Pabbi.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), troops from the Kingdom of Bahrain National Guard and Pakistan’s Special Service Group (SSG) participated in the exercise. The two weeks long exercise focused on counter terrorism techniques including cordon and search operations, built up area clearance with combat aviation support. Disabling IED techniques, Sniper shooting were also part of the exercise.

The two weeks long exercise had focused on counter-terrorism techniques including cordon and search operations, built-up area clearance with combat aviation support, the statement had added.

A high level military delegation from Kingdom of Bahrain headed by General Abdual Rahman Rashed Al Saad and General Officer Commanding, Special Services Group (SSG), Major General Mumtaz Hussain attended the closing ceremony.