A press conference was held at the Special Forces Command Headquarters Sunday to announce the start of the 7th Eager Lion military drill, which is being held with the participation of the United States and more than 20 other Arab and friendly countries.

Director of joint training and spokesman for the drill, Maj. Gen. Khaled Sharaa said Eager Lion, which first began in 2011, will be conducted in its seventh edition at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army’s training fields, where about 7,200 land, air and marine troops, representing the Jordan Armed Forces and NATO, will join. He said security agencies, ministries, governmental and non-governmental organisations and the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management will also participate.

The 11-day exercise is aimed at boosting the capacity for planning and implementing international joint operations, setting the relationship between military forces and agencies, organisations and ministries in a non-conventional environment, exchanging military expertise and enhancing operational harmony among participating nations.

It also seeks to raise capabilities in combatting terrorism, border security, evacuations and humanitarian operations, crisis management, strategic communications, search and rescue operations, protection of vital installations and combatting cyber terrorism and logistical support among other objectives.

Deputy Commanding General of the US Army, Maj. Gen. William Hickman, said Eager Lion is a key military training exercise in the region and “an excellent event that allows us to continue working with Jordanian and international forces to better confront common threats to regional security at the operational level”.

He said the drill is an important military activity between the United States, Jordan and the international military partners to facilitate the response to conventional and non-conventional threats.

Taking part in the annual drill are: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, UK, France, Kenya, Italy, Pakistan, Belgium, Poland, Netherlands, Australia, Greece and Japan besides Jordan, US and NATO.