Regional forces work with US to promote peace, stability

Regional forces work with US to promote peace, stability

Regional security forces co-operate with the US Marines to boost their peacekeeping capacities through joint military exercises.

US Marines attempt to break through Bulgarian and Serbian soldiers during the riot control course of Platinum Wolf 15 at the South base in Serbia. [US Marines]

In an effort to foster mutual understanding and interoperability between the armed forces of the region and the United States, soldiers from the Balkans and the US Marines held a joint exercise in Serbia recently.

Platinum Wolf 15 gathered 360 troops from Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia, along with US Marine Corps. The exercise was held at the South base in Bujanovac, 20 kilometres from the administrative line with Kosovo, at the Ground Safety Zone.

The troops trained for 11 days -- from November 16th to November 27th -- executing various peacekeeping tasks, and focused on how to use non-lethal weapons. The exercise was designed to improve security forces' capacities to promote peace, stability and prosperity for the region.

"[The exercise focused on] the procedures and the actions that have to be taken when a patrol meets a person of special importance, when that person is getting arrested, as well as a demonstration of non-lethal weapons and ammunition. [It also covered] procedures carried out at bases when soldiers face local citizens and protesters," Major Jovan Krivokapic, Serbian Ministry of Defence spokesman, told SETimes.

"The aim of the exercise was to improve interoperability and mutual understanding between members of the armed forces of partnering countries on a tactical level," Krivokapic added.

He added that the Serbian Defence...