China, Pakistan to hold 1st Counter-Terrorism Drills Since 2019

China and Pakistan will hold their first joint counter-terrorism military drills in five years, the Chinese Defense Ministry announced Tuesday.

Codenamed Warrior-VIII, the counter-terrorism drills will run between China and Pakistan from late November to mid-December. The drills come amid heightened concerns over targeted attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan. They will focus on joint counter-terrorism clean-up and strike operations.

The two militaries will engage in multi-level training across various specialties and live troop drills simulating real combat scenarios.

The event is part of a broader effort to enhance practical military cooperation and the capability to tackle terrorism, according to the ministry.

The most recent joint exercise in this series took place in 2019, with this year’s exercise marking the eighth between the two nations. The exact location of the exercises was not revealed.

Also See: The Afghanistan Conundrum: Pakistan’s Challenge, China’s Role

In October, a suicide bombing in Pakistan killed three people, including two Chinese nationals, and injured 17 others. In March, an attack in northwestern Pakistan claimed the lives of five Chinese workers and their Pakistani driver.

Following these incidents, China dispatched investigators to Pakistan to assist in probing the October killings.

Earlier in the day, the Pakistani government approved a military operation against terrorist organizations operating in Balochistan province.

The authorities will launch the operation against the organizations targeting local civilians as well as foreign nationals. They aim to “scuttle Pakistan’s economic progress by creating insecurity at the behest of hostile external powers,” state-run media reported.

This news is sourced from Anadolu Ajansi and is intended for informational purposes only