Special Forces of Egypt, Greece, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) carried out, for the first time, quadruple joint training (Hercules-21), which continued for several days in Nea Peramos municipality of Greece.

The training included carrying out many activities including lectures and practical drills in the field of fighting terrorism, combat in built and open areas, rescuing hostages and medical evacuation, as well as operations of dropping troops from the air and to the sea. The training activities were attended by a number of leaders of the armed forces of the four countries participating in the training.

On 23 September, Greece’s Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Chardalias, attended the Special Operations Four Day Exercise conducted at the Special Forces Training Center. The exercise was conducted from Monday 20 to Sunday 26 September 2021, in the wider area of the Attica District, the Greek Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported.

The event was attended by HNDGS/Chief General Konstantinos Floros, their H.E. the Ambassadors of the Arab Republic of Egypt Mr. Ismail Ahmed Khairat and of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr. Saad Alammar, HAFGS/Chief Lieutenant General Georgios Blioumis, HAGS/Chief Lieutenant General Charalambos Lalousis, HNGS/Chief Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis, the General Director of the HNDGS General Directorate of National Defence Policy and International Relations Dr. Konstantinos Balomenos, Defence Attachés, as well as representatives of the participating forces.

The Greek Deputy Minister of National Defence said: “t is the first time that this specific exercise has been conducted with the participation of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, indicative of the new synergies that Greece is promoting at a diplomatic and military level.”

“The above co-training of Special Operations troops further promotes the already excellent and upgraded relations of our countries, which do not focus only on a level of military cooperation, but they extend in various fields of mutual interest, like in economy, energy, transports, tourism, culture, training and civil protection; synergies that were reassured in the recent “FRIENDSHIP FORUM” held in Athens last February, with the active participation of all our countries,” he added.

“Undoubtedly, our countries are connected by common principles and values and share the same devotion regarding International Law, the United Nations Charter, the resolutions of the Security Council and the Contract for Maritime Law. Besides, our relations are based on the understanding of friendship and peace, and they are characterized by the will of essential contribution, the security, stability and welfare of the wider region of the Southeastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Gulf,” he stressed.

“This is a region of an extremely geopolitical and strategic importance, often facing complex and complicated challenges, presenting potentially a risk for the security and peace of its states. Greece, being an important part of this critical geopolitical space, exercises an active military diplomacy, having undertaken a focal role in the promotion of defence initiatives and the establishment of bilateral, trilateral and multilateral cooperation schemes with all the countries with which we share the same values, principles and views regarding stability in the region,” he noted.