WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2011-01-05 Time: 15:00:02 Posted By: News Poster
By Musa Ndow and Omar Wally
Lieutenant General Masanneh N Kinteh, the chief of Defense Staff (CDS) of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) has said he is impressed with the conduct of the ongoing Joint Services Company Field Training Exercise organised by The GAF.
The week-long exercise which involved other sister security services like the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Gambia Immigration Department (GID) Gambia Police Force (GPF) and the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) is being conducted around the areas of the Banjul Naval base, Kuloro, Bonto and Pirang. The CDS in an interview with the Daily Observer on Tuesday said this exercise which started the same day aims to train troops on amphibious landing, river crossing, offensive and defensive operations as part of the CDS training directives.
“My impression is that the exercise went very well in the sense that we are able to achieve our objective, which is for all the security services to come together and play their respective roles as far as the scenario that we have built is concerned. For us coming here today and building a scenario that depicts a situation where the environment is occupied by the drug cartels and the area declared completely unsafe, is very well fitting. That is the scenario we have built on and we think in the fight against drugs, it is a collective responsibility of all the security services. Not a single service can do it alone,” the CDS explained.
He continued: “In The Gambia, we thank God that we were able to identify the problem of drugs earlier when we answered to the call of His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, the president and commander-in-chief, to fight illicit drugs in this country. Drugs dealers tend to move from one place to another, once you have got a drug dealer, the next minute there will be violent crime, gun fighting among other things. So we have not moved to that level yet, but this exercise that we have started depicts a situation like that where the drug cartels are all armed and then they are being attacked by a joint security service.”
When asked as to what motivation he has for the soldiers, Lt. Gen Kinteh replied that there is no motivation one could give to soldiers than having to give them training. He further explained that the exercise among other things intends to bring the security forces in the country to work collectively to provide the security and the safe environment this country needs for development to flourish.
He admitted that the exercise is one of the items on his training directives and said he wants to make it an annual event. He also hinted that he intends to keep the training as an annual event and went on to thank and commend other sister security services who have been cooperating with GAF from the onset. The CDS disclosed that they have just come up with a two-year training programme and the day’s exercises were all circled in that programme. He said: “We have done half of the training circle and we have gone back to see areas that we have not really included in the first phase and we want to include them. Training as far as the armed forces is concerned, is an ongoing thing. There is a saying in the armed forces that soldiers are either fighting war or they are preparing for war. This is the time that we have to prepare for war or whatever operation that we may be involved in, in the future. I urge my men to give the training the utmost best and as far as the training is concerned, I am ready to be at the forefront.”
Madani Senghore, the chief of Naval Staff said they have not had trainings of this nature for a very long time. “The mere fact that we were able to lift the troops and bring them to a location and exercise them on something that they will need in real situation is a plus to the navy and the GAF in particular. The safety aspect should be well coordinated and there is need for proper coordination to avoid panic. It is a large number of troops that are moving together and everybody is secured. This is one aspect indicating that the Gambia Armed Forces is not only a land force but also armed in the sea. The exercise is to capture Baoba Island and it is relevant because it shows confidence to be able to work with sister services,” he stated.
Shortly before the troop commanders briefed their men on what is at stake and to come up with comprehensive operations, Lieutenant Omar Bojang, the public relations officer of GAF said that the armed forces high command has a vision, which, according to him, is to have a small but properly trained, well equipped, mobile and highly motivated armed forces that can effectively and efficiently discharge its constitutional mandate and other assigned roles to the total satisfaction and admiration of all Gambians and non-Gambians alike. “To achieve this noble vision of the transformation agenda, GAF needs to embark on rigorous and realistic training programmes,” he said. He explained that the briefing exercise is also meant to acquaint the participating officers and soldiers on the procedures of the exercise, rules of engagement and code of conducts. The training exercise will feature the participation of four battalions, with each battalion spending two days in the exercise areas.
The 1st Infantry Battalion, Yundum Barracks commenced the exercise to be followed by the State Guards Battalion and the Guards Battalion, Fajara, before the 2nd Infantry Battalion, Farafenni.
Original date published: 5 January 2011
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201101050608.html?viewall=1