NEWS

US, Greek forces begin large anti-terror exercise in Crete

US, Greek forces begin large anti-terror exercise in Crete

The largest ever anti-terror exercise in Greece started on the weekend and will last until December 7.

Held in Crete, in the ports of Souda and Iraklio, the exercise, codenamed “Jackal Stone,” is the annual exercise of the US Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) which will include special forces from the Greek police and Coast Guard.

The scenarios of this exercise involve an Islamic State terrorist attack on a large cruise ship and counterterrorist operations on an islet outside Souda and in the city of Iraklio, Crete's largest, according to a high-placed source who spoke to “Kathimerini” on condition of anonymity.

The general command is exercised by the US commander at the Souda Bay Naval base, the most prominent such base for the US and NATO in the Eastern Mediterranean. Hellenic Police (ELAS) is the Greek operational commanding force.

This exercise takes place in a different country each year. When staged in Germany, more than 900 US Special Forces and similar forces from 8 European countries took part.

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.

By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.