‘Warrior Competition a chance for security personnel to exchange expertise, hone skills in fighting terrorism’

AMMAN — Members of armed forces fighting terrorism stand to benefit from activities of the seventh annual Warrior Competition, currently being held in Jordan, to ensure the safety of their countries and further hone their skills, a Palestinian officer said Monday.

Captain Ahmad Wasif, the head of the Palestinian team participating in the competition, said fighting terrorism is a top priority for every country at the moment, describing participating in the competition as a “great opportunity”. 

“We should not forget that the Palestinian team was trained on Jordanian soil, so we thank Jordan and His Majesty King Abdullah for their support,” he told The Jordan Times during the activities of the competition. 

The competition kicked off on Sunday with the participation of 38 teams representing 18 countries, and ends on Thursday, according to the tournament’s spokesperson, Col. Khaled Abu Hammad.   

Abu Hammad said the competition, held at the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre (KASOTC), was first organised with the establishment of the centre in 2009 and has since become an annual event. 

“Every evening, we provide the heads of teams with details about the following day’s activities so that they can plan and prepare well for it,” he told The Jordan Times.

Abu Hammad said the participating teams represent countries that are combating terrorism. 

“This is also a good chance for the heads of these teams to meet and share ideas because they might work together in other locations,” he added.

The spokesperson said the competition features new activities every year and the centre’s training department prepares the scenarios of each activity.  

“Though these teams compete with each other, they also exchange expertise,” he added.  

Wasif said the Palestinian team had the chance to meet with several international teams and become updated on the latest advancements in anti-terrorism technology. 

“This is the third year that we have participated in the contest. We have gained many skills, including new ways to gain entry into buildings and methods of aerial combat in tight areas,” he added. 

The competition tests the skills of counter-terrorism, special operations forces and law enforcement teams in various scenarios, according to a KASOTC statement. 

A team comprising members of Jordan’s Hamzah Bin Abdul Mutalab Brigade, the “Royal Guards”, won first place on Sunday in Warrior Competition’s sharp shooting contest.

The Royal Guards team was competing against the US Marines team in the final stage of the contest.

This year’s event features more teams and a greater variety, according to Abu Hammad, with an all-female team from the Gendarmerie Department participating for the first time.