PM, army chief witness 'Thunder of the North' military exercises in Saudi Arabia

The 12-day manoeuvres in the kingdom's northeast included 20 nations from the Middle East, Africa and Asia

Warplanes roared overhead, tanks rumbled across the desert and smoke filled the sky for the final day of what Saudi Arabia billed as the region's biggest-ever military exercises.

According to the ISPR, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif along with the top Saudi leadership witnessed the concluding ceremony of ‘Thunder of the North’ military exercises on Thursday.

“Premier and army chief with Saudi leadership and other dignitaries on site of the North Thunder final manoeuvres," DG ISPR Lt gen Asim Bajwa said in a statement.

KSA:Ex North Thunder Final manoeuvres.Large attendance.PM &Army Chief with Saudi ldrship&other dignitaries on site pic.twitter.com/q4mUy30zKj

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) March 10, 2016

The 12-day "Northern Thunder" manoeuvres in the kingdom's northeast included 20 nations from the Middle East, Africa and Asia, Saudi officials said.

General Raheel also met the Saudi defence minister, and discussed bilateral relations.

Later in the evening, PM Nawaz met Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz al Saud at Royal palace of King Khalid military city, Saudi Arabia.

He was accompanied by army chief and adviser on foreign affairs.

After day long Mil Exercise in desert,COAS&KSA Def Minister met at Def Min Field Office.Regional security,bilateral mil relations discussed

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) March 10, 2016

The prime minister and COAS reached Riyadh on Wednesday to witness the military exercises as well as hold talks on the regional and bilateral issues.



They were received at the King Saud Airport by the Prince Muhammad bin Salman and other high-ranking officials. Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi also accompanied the top leadership to Riyadh.

As the dignitaries watched from a pavilion, Apache gunships fired rockets with a bone-shaking blast. Smoke rose from targets on the ground and commandos rappelled from helicopters.

Fighter jets streaked through the sky releasing orange flares, artillery shells whistled through the air and heavy machinegun fire boomed from across the drill site, which stretched for dozens of kilometres.

The exercises took place near Hafr al-Batin city, close to the Kuwaiti and Iraq borders.

Saudi Arabia's chief of staff, General Abdulrahman al-Bunyan, commanded the exercise and called it "the largest Arab and Islamic military gathering" in the region.



Riyadh has adopted a more assertive foreign policy since Salman took the throne early last year following the death of his half-brother king Abdullah.

It leads a coalition fighting rebels in Yemen, participates in US-led air strikes against the Islamic State group and has offered to send special forces to fight IS in Syria.

"Northern Thunder" also took place after tensions escalated between Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and its regional Shia rival Iran, which back opposing sides in Syria and Yemen.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a group photo with Heads/ Majesties of the participating country in North Thunder Joint Military Excercise at Hafar Ul Batin, Saudi Arabia on March 10th 2016. PHOTO: PID

Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran earlier this year after mobs ransacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran following the execution of a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric.

Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri told reporters this week the exercises were preparation to tackle the region's "terrorist menace" and were not directed against Iran.

Assiri said the manoeuvres are distinct from a 35-nation coalition to fight "terrorism" which Saudi Arabia announced in December.

Officials have said the new coalition would gather in the kingdom this month for its first publicly announced meeting.

A foreign military source told AFP he did not think Northern Thunder was directed at Syria "or anything else" but was a chance to practise working together.

The source said Saudi troops were "honing their skills and their operability with other nations."

Northern Thunder's official Twitter account said the exercises aimed to "confront all the threat scenarios in the region".

According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies, Saudi Arabia has the best equipped military of Gulf countries, with an army of 75,000 troops and 313 combat-capable aircraft.