Egypt on Wednesday (October 31st) welcomed delegations from a number of countries for a major joint Arab military exercise set for November 3rd to 16th at Mohamed Naguib Military Base in Marsa Matrouh, Ahram Online reported.
"Arab Shield 1" will involve land, naval and air forces, special forces, and air defence exercises, according to a statement issued by Egyptian military spokesman Tamer al-Refaie.
Eight countries are participating in the drills, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, with Morocco and Lebanon as observers, the statement said.
"The exercise comes in the framework of strengthening joint military co-operation between Egypt and Arab countries to build the combat capabilities of the Armed Forces and achieve common objectives," al-Refaie said.
"The drill comes as part of the joint training plan carried out by the Egyptian Armed Forces with many other countries to develop military relations, face common challenges and support efforts for security and stability in the region," the statement said.
