Saudi ground and naval forces are taking part in multinational war games being held in the Turkish cities of Ankara and Izmir.
According to Saudi naval commander Colonel Ali Bin Mohammed Al-Shahri, the Turkish-led drill, dubbed EFES 2016, is one of the largest multinational military exercises of its kind, the Middle East Monitor reported on Monday.
He noted that the field exercises, which will last for about one month, will serve to “reinforce international security and stability, the solidarity of participating states, the willingness to confront terrorist organizations, highlighting capabilities and raising efficiency.”
“The exercise is aimed at enhancing cooperation, augmenting military understanding, implementing the hybrid tasks in a multinational environment, in addition to implementing the scheme of strategic loading and transporting of troops from areas where they are stationed,” Shahri added.
Saudi Arabia and Turkey are both part of an international US-led coalition purportedly conducting airstrikes against Daesh Takfiri terrorists inside Iraq and Syria.
This is while Riyadh and Ankara have also been implicated in supporting Takfiri groups operating in Syria with reports saying that Ankara actively trains and arms the Takfiri militants there and facilitates their safe passage into the Arab country. Turkey has also been accused of buying smuggled oil from Daesh.