Saudi Arabia: Joint Gulf Shield Drills Commence

 Kuwaiti Air Force participating in the Joint Gulf drill (KUNA)
Kuwaiti Air Force participating in the Joint Gulf drill (KUNA)
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Saudi Arabia: Joint Gulf Shield Drills Commence

 Kuwaiti Air Force participating in the Joint Gulf drill (KUNA)
Kuwaiti Air Force participating in the Joint Gulf drill (KUNA)

Joint Gulf Shield 1 drill, organized by Saudi Ministry of Defense, kicked off in the Eastern Region with the participation of military forces from 23 states as well as the Saudi forces. The drill is scheduled to last for one month.

The drill is considered the largest military maneuvers in the region in terms of diversity of expertise and quality of weapons. It aims at raising the military readiness of the participating countries, modernizing the joint mechanisms and enhancing coordination and cooperation.

The Gulf Shield 1 drill is a turning point in terms of the techniques used in accordance with the most modern military systems in the world.

The Ministry of Defense, which includes ground and air forces, air defense forces, naval forces, weapons of mass destruction units and medical services in the armed forces, participates in the exercise from Saudi Arabia, as well as security and military forces affiliated to the Ministries of the Interior and National Guard.

The large-scale tactical exercises are part of a comprehensive strategic vision of the Ministry of Defense in Saudi Arabia, because of their great role in enhancing military and security readiness for various circumstances and scenarios to maintain security and stability in the region and the world.



Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Azerbaijan after Plane Crash

A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)
A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)
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Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Azerbaijan after Plane Crash

A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)
A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)

Saudi Arabia offered on Wednesday its condolences to Azerbaijan following the plane crash in Kazakhstan.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the Kingdom expressed its condolences to the families of the deceased and to the government and people of Azerbaijan. It wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The Muslim World League (MWL) also extended its condolences to the government and people of Azerbaijan following the crash.

An Embraer passenger jet flying from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 people while 29 survivors received hospital treatment, Kazakh authorities said.

Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 had flown hundreds of miles off its scheduled route to crash on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea, after what Russia's aviation watchdog said was an emergency that may have been caused by a bird strike. But an aviation expert suggested that cause seemed unlikely.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said according to information he had received, the plane changed course due to poor weather, but he added the cause of the crash was unknown and must be fully investigated.