ISLAMABAD: Air Marshal Syed Noman Ali, the vice chief of air staff of the Pakistan Air Force, on Monday reviewed the ongoing multinational air exercise “ACES Meet 2021-1” at a PAF Operational Air Base, with the commander of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Air Base in attendance.
The two-week exercise kicked off at PAF’s operational air base on Monday with the objective to maximize the combat readiness of participating countries through near-realistic and role-oriented air-to-air combat training, with a focus on counterterrorism operations.
Saudi Arabia and the US have brought combat aircraft and fairly large contingents of pilots and technical staff to the exercise. The Royal Saudi Air Force contingent consists of 180 officials, including pilots and technicians, who arrived with several Tornado multirole combat aircraft and the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
Around 50 officials from Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain are also present at the drill as observers.
“Vice Chief of Air Staff, PAF was given a comprehensive brief by Commandant Airpower Center of Excellence, Air Commodore Ahsen Yousaf, about the salient features and progress of the exercise ‘ACES MEET 2021-1’,” PAF said in a statement. “The Vice Chief expressed his satisfaction over the operational preparedness of the participating units and conduct of the exercise.”
Major General Eid Bin Barrak Al-Otaibi, commander King Abdulaziz Air Base, was also present at the occasion, PAF said, along with other military dignitaries from PAF and the Royal Saudi Air Force.
The King Abdulaziz Air Base, also known as Dhahran Air Base and formerly Dhahran International Airport, Dhahran Airport and Dhahran Airfield, is a Royal Saudi Air Force base located in Dhahran in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. The air base was the first Saudi Arabian airport to be constructed, in 1961.
King Abdulaziz air base commander attends Pakistani air force drill review
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King Abdulaziz air base commander attends Pakistani air force drill review
- Air Marshal Syed Noman Ali, vice chief of air staff of Pakistan Air Force, on Monday reviewed ongoing multinational air exercise ACES Meet 2021-1
- Saudi Arabia and the US have brought combat aircraft and fairly large contingents of pilots and technical staff to the exercise
Pakistan expresses solidarity with Australia as gunmen kill at least 12 in Bondi Beach shooting
- Gunmen targeted people gathered at Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach to celebrate Jewish Hannukah festival
- Pakistan, itself a victim of “terrorism,” condemns violence against innocent civilians, says President Zardari
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari expressed solidarity with Australia on Sunday as gunmen killed at least 12 people and wounded a dozen others in the Bondi Beach shooting that targeted the Jewish community in the country.
New South Wales (NSW) police said two people had been taken into custody, and the Australian Broadcasting Corp. said one of at least two gunmen was among those killed. Around a dozen people were taken to local hospitals after the shooting, an NSW ambulance spokesperson said.
The attackers targeted a large group gathered at the northern end of Sydney’s Bondi Beach, near or at Bondi Park playground, as per news reports, when the attack happened. Gunmen attacked people who were there to celebrate an event related to the Jewish festival of Hannukah.
“President Asif Ali Zardari has expressed sorrow over the tragic shooting in Sydney, conveyed condolences to the victims’ families & wished the injured a speedy recovery,” the president of Pakistan’s official account on X wrote.
“Pakistan itself a victim of terrorism, stands in solidarity with & condemns violence against innocent civilians.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the Sydney attack, expressing condolences with victims of the incident.
“Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” he wrote on X.
As per international media reports, one of the gunmen has been identified as Naveed Akram from Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s southwest. His country of origin remains unclear.
One of the world’s most famous beaches, Bondi is typically crowded with locals and tourists, especially on warm weekend evenings.
Videos circulating on X appeared to show people on the beach and nearby park scattering as multiple gunshots and police sirens could be heard. One video showed a man dressed in a black shirt firing a large weapon before being tackled by a man in a white T-shirt who wrestled his weapon off him. A different man was seen firing a weapon from a pedestrian bridge.
Another video showed two men pressed onto the ground by uniformed police on a small pedestrian bridge. Officers could be seen trying to resuscitate one of the men. Reuters could not immediately verify the footage.
The attack came almost exactly 11 years after a lone gunman took 18 people hostage at the Lindt Cafe in Sydney. Two hostages and the gunman were killed after a 16-hour standoff.
