China, Nepal armies to hold joint counter-terror drills from today

Beijing, Sep 20: Contingents of the armies of China and Nepal will hold 10-day joint exercises in counter-terrorism operations in urban areas starting from Saturday in China’s Chongqing city.

According to the annual plan agreed by China and Nepal, the militaries of the two countries will hold ‘Mt Everest Friendship 2024’ joint army training, the Chinese Defence Ministry said on Friday.

This is the fourth round of military drills between the two armies.

The joint training will be conducted around rappelling or fast roping, improvised explosive device (IED) search and removal, checkpoint blockade, infiltration approaching, armed rescue and other subjects.

The exercises aim to further deepen the pragmatic communication and cooperation between the two sides, enhance their capabilities in undertaking joint counter-terrorism operations, and inject more positive factors into regional stability, the Chinese military said.

The drills aim to enhance capabilities in disaster management, humanitarian assistance, and United Nations peacekeeping missions, according to a statement from the Nepal Army Directorate of Public Relations and Information.