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Belgian and French paratroopers jump on “Blueland”, an unstable country

(BRUXELLES2) It is difficult at the moment to do exercise scenarios in Belgium without immediately thinking about the Belgian political situation. Witness this new map which serves as a diagram for a new evacuation exercise scenario for European nationals in danger - known as the NEO exercise (for Non-combatant Evacuation Operation) - which is currently taking place near Ursel (in Flanders) and Chièvres (Hainaut), with Belgian and French paratroopers. The 3 Battalion of Paratroopers from Tielen and 2 Battalion of Commandos from Flawinne, on the Belgian side, and the 35th RAP parachute artillery regiment, based in Tarbes, are in the game, assisted by 4 Hercules C130 and a Transall C160.

Dropping paratroopers (credit: Belgian Ministry of Defence)

The scenario of "Active Trip" is the classic of a crisis situation. Listen : “part of Belgium becomes a fictional country and is renamed Blueland (roughly present-day Flanders - except for a few towns attached to the Netherlands). » It's a " country with a weak economy, ruled by a strict nationalist regime. A liberal party opposing the government was born. (...) In order to organize democratic elections, the international community puts pressure on the government of Blueland. And with success, because on December 01, elections will take place which will bring the two antagonistic parties face to face. Nationalists feel frustrated with this form of international interference, and the differences between the two parties are generating tensions and protests that are growing as the date of the elections approaches. Small movements of revolt and national strikes take place more and more frequently. Foreign nationals who live in Blueland feel in danger, but are unable to leave the country because of airport strikes. ... » Decision is made to evacuate the citizens

Securing the area (credit: Belgian Ministry of Defence)

The 850 soldiers deployed on the Forward Mounting Base in Florennes entered the scene on Tuesday. In the morning, around 11:00 a.m., three waves of C-130s took 390 paracommandos towards Ursel airfield, during an assault landing, with jeeps and light truck. 300 men from the 2nd Flawinne Commando Battalion were also parachuted into the southern province of Blueland, near Chièvres. Objective: completely secure the area, find all the civilians, some placed in assembly centers, others scattered in the countryside, and evacuate everyone. To make the exercise more difficult, the organizers have planned a whole series of incidents that are as realistic as possible, attacks by rebel groups, hostage-taking, injured civilians, dispatch of quick reaction forces to extricate surrounded groups. Etc. Last day of the exercise: this Friday, October 8.

For follow the exercise, here

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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