Bahrain's King receives Hamdan bin Mohammed as joint Gulf military drill begins

Manama: Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa received Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE at the start of the Dubai Crown Prince's official visit to the kingdom.

The meeting was attended by Lieutenant General Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, National Security Advisor, Royal Guard Commander and Secretary General of the Supreme Defence Council of Bahrain and Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS), President of the General Sports Authority and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee. 

During the visit, Sheikh Hamdan attended the joint military exercise Bahrain Shield, hosted by the Bahrain Defence Force. The drill brought together the Mohammed bin Zayed Squadron, personnel from the armed forces of Gulf Cooperation Council member states, units from the Peninsula Shield Force and participants from Saudi Arabia.

The exercise is part of ongoing military cooperation among GCC countries and is designed to strengthen joint operational readiness, coordination and defence capabilities through combined training and the exchange of expertise.