The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques watches the events of the “North Thunder” whilst leaders of participating countries are seated next to him (Bandar Al-Jaloud)
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz yesterday observed the end of the “North Thunder” military exercise that took place in King Khalid Military City which is located in Hafar Al-Batin, northern Saudi Arabia. The leaders and heads of the delegations of twenty countries that participated in the exercise also attended.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques launched the concluding manoeuvre by explaining the exercise and the distribution of forces before enjoying the company of guests who were attending. Joint military hypothetical situations that united land forces, air forces and air defences from the different participating countries were observed thereafter. These situations imitated potential air and ground confrontations with any enemy and demonstrated how these targets would be destroyed to resist any aggression.
The Saudi Chief of General Staff General Abdulrahman bin Saleh Al-Bunyan who led the exercise delivered a speech in which he welcomed the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his guests. He described the exercise as one of the “biggest military exercises” due to the number of troops participating and the extensiveness of the area of military operation.
Al-Bunyan explained that the exercise aims to strengthen unity, ward off the dangers facing Arab and Islamic nations, maintain security and stability and raise the level of combat readiness. It also measured the ability to conduct military operations based on what the military position requires in terms of strengthening military relations between brothers and friends and initiating the concept of joint action according to the doctrine of joint military efforts to confront all challenges and potential threats.
Al-Bunyan also stated that the exercise included coexistence training, simulated war conditions that are similar to actual war conditions, achieving command and control of participating states in the exercise, unified leadership and planning, implementing and evaluating military operations in regular and irregular wars. A plan to mobilise, deploy, use, support, sustain, and redeploy the forces involved was finalised and Al-Bunyan said “The exercise achieved the goals that were planned for it, all participants made excellent endeavours to carry out the tasks and duties assigned to them, and the exercise has received regional and international interest”.
On the side lines of the closing manoeuvre, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques held a meeting with the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the two sides reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and the latest developments in the region.
King Salman bin Abduaziz also held a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during which they discussed areas of bilateral cooperation between the two countries and the latest developments in the region.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques also held a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and they conversed about bilateral cooperation between the two countries and developments in the region.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques honoured his guests who comprised of commanders, leaders and heads of delegations, and he hosted a royal luncheon at the King Khalid Military City in Hafr Al-Batin in their honour.