RIYADH: The Royal Saudi Land Forces began a mixed military exercise on Wednesday with their French counterparts to exchange expertise between the two countries, the Kingdom’s defense ministry stated on Thursday. The “Santol 2” drill, which was launched in Saudi Arabia’s northwestern region, included the two nations’ special operations units. The Kingdom’s armed forces conduct these operations throughout the year with “brotherly and friendly countries,” to ensure combat readiness, and the mutual transfer of technology and knowledge, the ministry stated. Maj. Gen. Khalid Al-Khashrami, the assistant commander of the Northern Border province for operational affairs, said that “the exercise, which will last for several days, aims to strengthen the bonds of cooperation and joint work, and exchange expertise” that would assist both nations. Al-Khashrami said the units used both simulators and live ammunition to conduct the exercises, while adhering to the highest levels of safety. Saudi Arabia has held several such drills with France over the past few decades, which was indicative of the strong ties between the two countries, the ministry stated.