Post by Focus on Aug 31, 2013 11:52:53 GMT
A squad of explosives experts from the British Army has provided training in counter-improvised explosive device, ordnance disposal, route opening and war material removal training to the Nepal Army to prepare the latter for UN peacekeeping operations in Mali.
The British Army squad consisting of five experts, including a Nepali citizen, had provided the two-week training conducted at the Nepal Army´s explosives ordnance holding unit based at Tribhuvan International Airport.
The training had begun on 20 August and concluded on Friday.
According to NA the British Army experts had recently returned from peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Northern Ireland.
The UN peacekeeping force of about 12,800 soldiers was expected to be deployed in Mali by mid-September.
A company comprising of 140 soldiers, including four female personnel, from NA will be participating in the mission from Nepal under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Nabin Silwal.
Courtesy: Nepal Army
Trouble began about a year ago in Mali after the Malian army staged a coup in the remote capital, Bamako with the Tuaregs and Islamic extremists seizing the main cities in northern Mali.
Reportedly the poorly armed and demoralized Malian Army had fled from there.
Landmines and explosive remnants have killed or injured thousands of individuals every year in Mali, which used to be one of West Africa´s most stable democracies until the March 2012 coup.
We are happy to receive training on the explosives disposal ahead of Mali mission, Lt Col Silwal said, adding that the training was helpful in understanding international trends of terrorism and techniques to overcome them.
“As the expert team had recently returned from operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Northern Ireland and also underwent the training, our confidence level has gone up,” said Silwal.
Danny Young, the Commander of the British training team, said, “In order to tackle complex environment in Mali, the training which concluded pleasantly would be helpful.”
We shared important techniques like free back, wheelbarrow with IED-robot and several techniques regarding the rescue, he added. The trainers also said that the training was helpful in building confidence, increasing knowledge in drills and IED.
NA officers talking to British Army experts during the recent training. (Courtesy : NA)
Addressing the trainers and trainees, Director of Engineer Directorate Brig General Bijendra Gautam said that the training boosted the confidence of the troops.
Defense Attache at the British Embassy Colonel Sean Harris OBE said, “The British Army shares a long and successful history of cooperation and collaboration with the Nepal Army and hope for the further training with the NA in the months ahead.”
The trained NA troops will be receiving further training at Paanchkhal before the departure for Mali.
The team is considered the first technical troop to be deployed in UN mission.
Nepal became a member of the United Nations in 1955 and has participated in over 39 UN peacekeeping missions.
As many as 98,000 NA personnel have participated in UN peacekeeping missions so far.
Is teaching 'life-threatening' bomb disposal and all that it entails to a foreign country's army really the job of our troops? - I wonder how many of our lads and lasses knew that this would be asked of them when they initially signed up? ... To those of our troops whom are away from home please, please stay safe and God's speed safely back to your loved ones, your country is proud of you all - Fx
