Royal Guard Commander, Kingdom’s Guard 1 Commander attend drill

His Highness Brigadier Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa Commander of the Royal Guard and His Highness Major Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Commander of the Royal Guards Special Force and Commander of the Joint Counter-terrorism Exercise "Haras Al Mamlaka 1" attended the final activities of the event that was also attended by experts from the United Kingdom, France and the United States.

The Exercise held at Seef Mall from the evening of Tuesday, December 5 to the morning of Wednesday, December 6, with the participation of forces from the Bahrain Defence Force, the Ministry of Interior and the National Guard. It aimed to reinforce joint military and security work as a foundation for counter-terrorism and the protection of the security and safety of the nation.

HH Major Khalid delivered a speech, in which he hailed the support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa the Supreme Commander and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister.

He also hailed the directives of His Excellency Commander-in-Chief of Bahrain Defence Force, Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa for the success of the Exercise.

He expressed thanks and appreciation to the contributors to the success of the event from the Bahrain Defence Force, the National Guard, the Ministry of Interior and the Public Prosecution through providing legal assistance. He also hailed the major cooperation of the management of the Seef Mall.

HH stressed that terrorism considers as a major concern of most countries, including regional states in general and the Kingdom of Bahrain in particular. He said that the new concept of terrorism was developed after the September 11 attack, as those countries became aware of the importance of getting their forces ready to confront the new terrorism wave, as terrorist organisations developed their new and innovative methods.

HH highlighted the dedication of developed countries to fight all forms of terrorism through international legal framework. Therefore the Kingdom of Bahrain strives to benefit from the expertise of those countries, such as the US, UK and France and set legislation and legal procedures that meet international standards and human rights in managing counter-terrorism.

After that Major Amar Al Al Qashar, the Exercise Coordinator gave a briefed on the sequence of the exercise, marking the commencement of the event.The participating forces demonstrated their distinguished and high skills throughout the exercise’s phases to reflect the level of preparedness, readiness and cooperation between the forces within a comprehensive system to confront terrorist threats.

Meanwhile, the Exercise’s sites and procedures were inspected. At the end of the Exercise, HH Brigadier Shaikh Nasser expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander and His Royal Highness, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister for their support and directives for the success of the Exercise.

He also expressed appreciation to the His Excellency Commander-in-Chief of Bahrain Defence Force, Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, His Highness National Guard Commander Lt-General Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Excellency Interior Minister, Lt-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa for their distinguished role in the success of the National Exercise.

HH saluted officers and personnel of the participating forces for their sincere efforts and remarkable efforts and professionalism in preparation and implementation of this vital Exercise. He also expressed thanks and gratitude for all those who contributed to the success of the Exercise, including the Public Prosecution for backing the forces through a series of legal procedures, and cooperation of the management of the Seef Mall.

HH Brigadier Shaikh Nasser highlighted that the achievements of the first of its kind Exercise were remarkable, especially when observing officers and personnel jointly carrying duties. He said that the training of the Exercise took around six months to assemble forces and unify concepts, and this contributed to carrying the Exercise with professionalism.
HH revealed that the idea of the Exercise was inspired by the directives of HM the King and said: "We are facing all forms of terrorism, so it is essential to unify concepts, communication, commanding and control methods in Bahrain Defence Force, the Ministry of Interior and the National Guard. This is part of our duty, as long as we have the capability and energy. By the grace of God, the matter went smoothly with the contributions of commanders at the site."

HH continued that understanding of the work facilitated the procedures and we are proud of what was achieved in the Exercise as the outcomes exceeded the expectations. It is natural that training would continue at the Counter-terrorism Centre. He said that the reports of the observers who arrived from various countries would be sought to reinforce competency that was shown in the Haras Al Mamlaka 1.

Meanwhile, HH Major Khalid expressed thanks and appreciation for HM the King's support and follow up, highlighting that this achievement would not have been accomplished without the backing of the Bahrain Defence Force, the Ministry of Interior and the National Guard. He also hailed the efforts and follow up of HH Commander of the National Guard.

"As the Commander of the Exercise, the technical aspect wasn’t a major concern to me, but coordination was my focus. By the grace of God coordination and communication were smooth between the forces and this was essential," he revealed. He continued that if the Counter-terrorism Centre would be approved, it would be a continuation of the joint exercise between all sectors. There would be two annual exercises, one large at commercial malls, schools or hospitals and the second one would be smaller.

Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations of the Bahrain Defense Force, Major-General Ghanim Ibrahim Al Fadhala highlighted that the Exercise affirmed ongoing coordination and cooperation between military and security authorities. He added that the Exercise stimulated reality as it was at a mall with people and shops. "It was an excellent opportunity for the forces to cooperation and implement the skills they learned through training."

The Chief of the Public Security, Major-General Tariq Al Hassan congratulated all those involved in the Exercise, hailing the performance of the participating forces. He said that the event organised within advanced strategic view. He said that the world witnesses growth in terrorism as terrorist acts become more complicated. He said that many countries were affected and there is a need for the forces to be ready and capable of working in harsh environments. He added that the exercise focused on large commercial malls that need a huge number of forces to control the situation.

National Guard's Staff Director Major-General Shaikh Abdulaziz bin Saud Al Khalifa congratulated HH Brigadier Shaikh Nasser and HH Major Shaikh Khalid for the major achievement that draws a clear counter-terrorism strategy. He said that the success of the exercise reflected the clear interests of the wise leadership, highlighting that Bahrain has men that are capable of protecting security. He expressed thanks and appreciation to the leadership for supporting such events that aim to safeguard Bahrain.

Source: BNA