Saudi Arabia hosts region's largest military drils

RIYADH, Feb 14 (KUNA) -- Forces from Arab and Muslim countries are arriving in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to participate in military drills to be executed in King Khaled Military City, northern Saudi Arabia.
The Ra'ad Al-Shamal (Thunder of the North) drills, the largest in the history of the region, will feature participation of 20 countries in addition to the Peninsula Shield Forces, official SPA news agency reported.
Forces from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain Senegal, Sudan, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Chad, Tunisia, Comoros, Djibouti, Oman, Qatar, Malaysia, Egypt, Mauritania and Mauritius are taking part in the war games.
Ra'ad Al-Shamal is the largest military exercise in terms of number of participating countries and qualitative military equipment of diverse sophisticated weapons and military equipment.
Fighter jets from different models reflecting large quantitative and qualitative spectrum will participate in drills, as well as a wide range of artillery, tanks, infantry, air defense systems and naval forces, in a simulation of the highest level of maximum alert of the armies of the 20 participating countries.
Ra'ad Al-Shamal drills send a clear message that Saudi Arabia and its allies stood united to confront all challenges and maintain peace and stability in the region and world. (end) od.bs