U.S., Middle East allied forces complete Eagle Resolve exercises

April 17 (UPI) -- Allied forces from the Middle East and the United States recently completed a series of military exercises in Kuwait.

The training event, known as Eagle Resolve 2017, involved U.S. troops training alongside forces from the Gulf Cooperation Council, a league of Arab monarchies including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Roughly 1,000 U.S. military personnel participated alongside more than 3,000 Gulf Cooperation Council troops.

"Working together, understanding one another, understanding each other's tactics, techniques and procedures for responding to threats enhance all of our capabilities," Maj. Gen. Ralph Groover said in a press release.

The U.S. Army says the three-week exercise involved land, air and maritime forces conducting search-and-seizure simulation, chemical threat drills, and border security maneuvers. Other drills also aimed to better prepare participants for counter-terrorism operations.

"We are concerned about defending our gulf, defending ourselves, our states and our nations," Kuwait's Lt. Gen. Mohammed Khaled Al-Khader added. "What is important for us is our continuous training so we can achieve the required level of fighting readiness."