Emir attends closing event of Saudi military drill

3/10/2016 9:50:12 PM

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attending the closing manoeuvre of ‘Raad Al Shamal’ (North Thunder) Exercise. With him are the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al Bashir Kuwait Emir H H Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and UAE Vice-President and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

DOHA/ Hafr Al Batin: Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday joined other leaders of the Arab and Islamic states at the closing ceremony of Raad Al Shamal (North Thunder) military exercise in King Khalid Military City in Hafr Al Batin northern Saudi Arabia.

The 12-day Northern Thunder manoeuvres included 20 nations from the Middle East Africa and Asia.

The Emir was welcomed on arrival at the military base by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Crown Prince Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Deputy Crown Prince Second Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Saudi princes and senior officials were also present. Among the participating leaders were Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir Yemen’s President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. As the dignitaries watched from a pavilion Apache gunships fired rockets with a bone-shaking blast.

Smoke rose from targets on the ground and commando-repelled helicopters news agencies reported.

Fighter jets streaked through the sky releasing orange flares artillery shells whistled through the air and heavy machine gun fire boomed from across the drill site which stretched for dozens of kilometres.

Saudi Arabia’s Chief of Staff General Abdulrahman Al Bunyan commanded the exercise and called it “the largest Arab and Islamic military gathering” in the region. He described the event as one of the largest military exercises in terms of the number of participating troops and the widening zone of military operations that cover the presumptive theatre of northern region operation Saudi Press Agency reported.

General Al Bunyan said the exercise aimed to boost unity of ranks ward off the dangers facing Arab and Islamic nations maintain security and stability and raise the levels of combat readiness. Military forces from 20 states participated in response to the invitation of Saudi Arabia preceded by holding conferences to develop the concept and planning. Arrival of troops to the gathering area took three days and training on the mission 15 days he added. The Emir also attended a luncheon banquet hosted by King Salman in honour of the heads of state and their delegations.

The Peninsula & Agencies

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