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Indian, US soldiers jointly learn jungle warfare
Raiding terrorist hideouts, fending for themselves in deep forests and honing firing skills against unconventional targets, some 120 Indian and America soldiers are carrying out the largest ever joint military exercise in the thick jungles of Mizoram. This is the first joint infantry exercise between the two countries. It began on March 28 and will end on April 16.It is being held at the sprawling campus of the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, a unique military training centre for training soldiers to fight terrorists in natural surroundings. Reputed to be the worldâs only one in its league, the school has been quietly shaping critical leadership and soldiers of several nations, including Nepal and Sri Lanka, for unconventional warfare. During the three-week long exercise, the soldiers will train in operating in jungle terrain, in rural and urban centres, hostage rescue, anti-hijacking operations, interrogation, intelligence based tactical operations, combat training, and IED (improvised explosive device) handling, says Brigadier B K Ponwar, commandant of the CIJW School. One company of soldiers from the 9 Rajput Battalion is participating in the exercise while the US side is represented by one platoon of soldiers from the 2nd Battalion of the First Infantry Regiment of the Alaska-based 172nd Stryker Brigade. Lt Colonel David Wisecarver, the commanding officer of the US infantry unit, says the exercise is a unique opportunity for the Americans because the âUS doesnât have a jungle warfare schoolâ and his unit would impart the lessons learnt in Mizoram to other soldiers in the US. EFL (I know, for a change) Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2004-04-07 |
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