Exercise Strong Balkan 23 recently took place in Albania, and featured Special Operations Forces from seven NATO Allies, namely Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania and Türkiye, as well as observers from NATO partner Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The exercise saw the forces train in complex scenarios such as freefall parachute jumping, vehicle interdiction, fast-roping from helicopters and clearing operations.

The aim of the exercise was to foster better cooperation among the different countries, learn from one another’s experiences and improve their ability to collaborate effectively to tackle the security challenges of today.

It was the first time for Albania to host the annual exercise, which took place from 31st October until 10th November.

As part of the exercise, forces from participant and observer countries also had the chance to show their national pride in a free-fall parachute jump during which soldiers unfurled their national flags as they descended.

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Read also: NATO Military Committee discusses alliance’s deterrence and defence posture

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