RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Armed Forces are taking part in a multinational military exercise in the Turkish city of Izmir, the Kingdom’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. Upon arrival in Turkiye ahead of the field-exercise phase of EFES 2024, the Saudi units were greeted by the military attache at the Saudi embassy in Ankara, Commodore Adel Al-Kalthami, the director of the exercise from the Kingdom, Brig. Gen. Nasser Al-Suhaimi, and officers from branches of the Armed Forces. The exercise involves two main phases, the first of which was a command-center exercise at the Multinational War Center in Istanbul and the Joint Command Training Center in Izmir, which began on April 25 and concluded on Wednesday. The second phase, involving live-firing field exercises at Izmir’s Doganbey Firing and Exercise Area, begins on Friday and continues until May 30. The head of the Saudi Armed Forces Education and Training Authority, Maj. Gen. Adel Al-Balawi, said participation of the nation’s forces in the exercise reflects the care and support of the Saudi leadership for the development of their capabilities and the enhancement their organizational, training and armaments skills. The exercise provides an opportunity for forces from participating nations to exchange skills, train together in the planning and coordination of joint operations in various environments, raise their combat efficiency, and enhance military cooperation, he added. During the exercise the Saudi units and their counterparts from other countries will carry out many field maneuvers on land and sea, including sea-landing operations, search and rescue missions, and responses to threats posed by drones, using light arms loaded with live ammunition and other weaponry, Al-Balawi said.