Taking place near the Kuwaiti and Iraq borders, the manoeuvres were the most important and largest in the region’s history, according to Saudi authorities.
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Air drops, armour movement and air assault through helicopters were performed by the troops taking part in the exercises.
Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane arrived the afternoon of March 9 in Saudi Arabia to represent Morocco at the closing ceremony for “Thunder of the North”, a major military maneuver lead by Saudi Arabia.
Troops from Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, Sudan and Oman also took part in the Northern Thunder exercise.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies could turn a page and build strong relations with Iran if it respects them and stops “meddling” in their affairs, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Wednesday.
The operation “Thunder of the North”, launched at the initiative of Riyadh is created to prepare a coalition of military forces from 21 Arab and Muslim countries for a possible ground invasion in Syria to combat the so-called Islamic State (ISIS or Daech) and other terrorist groups.
Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia and fellow Gulf nations also accuse Iran of supporting Shiite rebels in Yemen, as well as attempting to destabilise their own regimes.
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif met Defence Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt General Asim Saleem Bajwa said in tweet message from Saudi Arabia.
Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif and Special Assistant to PM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi are accompanying the Prime Minister.
“There is no need for mediation” in such a case, said Jubeir, whose country severed all links with the Islamic republic in January after crowds attacked the kingdom’s diplomatic missions in Iran.
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The visit comes on the invitation of King Salman bin Abdul Aziz to witness the military exercises, as well as hold talks on the regional and bilateral issues.
