Pakistan, Saudi Arabia begin joint special forces drill

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday began AL BATTAR-I, a special forces joint drill, to enhance bilateral relations and learn from each other's experiences.

Senior officials from the two armed forces attended the opening ceremony, which took place in northwestern Pakistan's Nowshera district.

The two-week exercise is aimed at "further harnessing the historic military-to-military relations between both the countries, including nurturing of joint employment concept and identifying areas of mutual interest for future military collaboration, with a view to accrue maximum benefits from each other’s experience in employment against terrorism," Pakistan's military said in a statement.

Such exercises between armies of both "brotherly" countries are aimed at "enhancing existing bilateral relations and benefiting from each other’s experience," it added.