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Jordan, Egypt launch joint military drills in port of Aqaba

Sunday, 06 November 2016 5:29 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 06 November 2016 5:38 AM ]

Jordanian and Egyptian forces hold military exercises in Aqaba, Jordan, November 5, 2016.

Jordan and Egypt have started joint wargames in the southwestern Jordanian port city of Aqaba in a bid to boost bilateral military cooperation.

The 20-day maneuvers, dubbed “Aqaba 2016,” started on Saturday, involving units of the army, navy and air force as well as special forces from the two countries.

The drills are being held in Jordan’s Armed Forces/Arab Army (JAF) military fields.

The maneuvers are said to be aimed at bolstering the readiness of the Egyptian and Jordanian forces in the face of security threats in the region.

Amman and Cairo held similar exercises last year to strengthen their military ties.

The two states have both been affected by militancy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula over the past few years.

The Velayat Sinai militant group has launched several attacks against the Egyptian army and police in the sparsely populated desert region situated between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.

The Takfiri militants have repeatedly targeted the pipeline carrying gas from Sinai to Jordan.

In November 2014, the outfit pledged allegiance to the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group, which is mainly operating in Iraq and Syria.

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