EASF's Field Training Exercise (FTX) 2017 in Summary

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The Eastern Africa Standby Force successfully conducted the Field Training Exercise (FTX) 2017 from 20th November to 6th December in Gebeit Region of the Red Sea State (near Port Sudan) in the Republic of the Sudan.

FTX 2017, code named Mashariki Salaam II, was a multi-national and multi-dimensional exercise comprising 1029 participants from military, police and civilian backgrounds. The exercise, anchored in EASF's Strategic Plan 2015-2020, was aimed at achieving the organization's objective of maintaining a well-trained and regularly exercised force, ready to conduct peace keeping missions in the the Eastern Africa region and beyond in the most effective way possible, when and if tasked or mandated to do so by the African Union.

Mashariki Salaam II had been set in the background of a fictional African country (the Republic of Carana) entangled in civil and military strife with neither functioning systems nor authorities. The crisis was further compounded by widespread genocide and total anarchy. It was in light of this premise that EASF was mandated to intervene and roll out appropriate Peace Support Operations in carefully controlled steps in the troubled country.

THE CHRONOLOGY OF FIELD TRAINING EXERCISE 2017 EVENTS

(A). FTX 2017 Planning

Initial Planning Conference

Main Planning Conference

Integrated Mission Planning Course

Final Planning Conference

(B). Multimedia Galleries: The Field Training Exercise 2017

Beginning of the Induction Training in the Exercise Area

EASF Director, opens the FTX 2017 Induction Training
The Head of Mission, who is also the immediate former EASF Director addressing the participants
Planning Element's Chief of Staff during the opening of the Induction Training
The immediate former Chief of Staff Logistics Base representing the Host nation
The EASF Head of Communications Department outlines the communications' setup
The Induction Training is planned for 3 consecutive days ending on Friday the 24th November.

Official Opening of FTX 2017

The flags of the 10 EASF Member States
The Guest of Honor (middle) with the EASF Director (right) and Sudanese Navy official (left) during the opening ceremony
The EASF Director delivering his keynote address
The Head of Mission addressing the FTX 2017 participants
The Guest of Honor welcomes the participants to the Republic of the Sudan
Sudanese cultural dancers entertaining the participants
The Burundi contigent marches past the dias
The flag of the Union of the Comoros flies high in the air
Representatives from the Republic of Djibouti during the march past
The Ethiopian military salutes the guests
Kenya Defence Forces during the ceremony
Representatives from Seychelles during the march past
The Somalia military representatives during the ceremony
Sudanese Special Forces march past
Ugandan Peoples defence Forces complete the march past
The Exercise Director addresses members of the press

Exercise Play: (1). Chaos and Arnachy in the Republic of Carana

The Republic of Carana, plagued by disease, hunger and devastation after prolonged periods of conflict
Displaced persons live in IDP Camps with bare minimum for livelihood
Disease, hunger and despair confront the citizens every other day
The IDP Camps are poorly equipped and provide inadequate shelter for human existence
Members of the press seek to bring out this untold suffering to the rest of the world
Pangs of hunger bite into empty stomachs with every new dawn
A father can barely believe it as his son breathes his last...
Disease and death hit the community every new day
The dead are transported and buried quickly in order to arrest the spread of disease

Exercise Play: (2). EASF Deploys its Forces in the Republic of Carana

The AU Mission in Carana Representative (right, who is actually the EASF Director) receives a change of mandate to deploy EASF Forces in the troubled country
The EASF Force Commander draws intervention plans aimed at peace enforcement
The Forces from all 10 EASF Member States are well prepared and ready to intervene
The Head of Mission is briefed on the intent and strategy long before intervention
EASF deploys its Forces to contain the situation
The Forces have received various trainings in Peace Support Operations
The EASF Force Commander briefs members of the press on the progress being made
EASF Media together with other numerous media houses are covering the exercise
The Multinational Force is ready to deliver on its mandate
Peace enforcement requires that the insurgency is deactivated
Acting on reliable intelligence reports, the force is able to dispatch its units effectively
Different units are assigned different sectors ensuring total coverage of the troubled area
The Carana Railway Network System is secured to ensure the efficient and timely transport of cargo and persons
More units are dispatched in volatile areas
IDP camps are now guarded by well armed police officers after EASF's mandate to deploy was received
Though many citizens continue to die from disease, the situation is getting better
Doctors are able to provide medication to the citizens in due course
Media houses continue to inform the world of the progress being made ever since the intervention took place
The multinational police force is able to account for eventualities within Carana
The team of doctors briefs the press on the situation on the ground
Meanwhile, the search for insurgents continues
Regular patrols stamp the authority of the regional peace keeper in troubled Carana
Visitors to Sectors must undergo rigorous security checks
The representative of EASF Technical Advisors to EASF pays a visit to some sectors during the exercise
The forces continue to make remarkable progress in bringing peace to Carana
Members of Police Force exchanging notes on the next plan of action
Members of the press get their briefing on the progress being made
The doctors on the ground continue to attend to patients' ailments
Citizens of Carana hail the successful intervention of EASF in their country

Exercise Play: (3). Evacuations of the Sick and Wounded

A wounded soldier is brought in from the field by a helicopter pilot
The conflict area has poor infrastructure and thus helicopter transport has become necessary
The Standby Force has done thorough arrangements to ensure that the wounded are attended to promptly
The wounded are transfered into waiting ambulances
Reliable logistics' arrangements are necessary in efforts to save lives
Patients with diverse ailments are attended to as quickly as possible
The ambulances leave for the hospital
The helicopter pilot takes off for his next deployment

Exercise Play: (4). Search and Rescue Mission for the Kidnapped Governor of Sinkat Province

The Governor of Sinkat Province has been kidnapped by rebels in Carana
EASF initiates a vigorous search and rescue mission for the missing Governor
The forces secure areas where the Governor was last seen in order to assist with investigations
The area is vast and mountainous; deployed units comb the area in question
The press is periodically briefed on the progress being made.
The multinational and multidimensional force closes in on the rebels holding the Governor
The Governor is freed; unharmed and well
The Governor assists the intelligence community in gathering information about the rebels
The Governor describes the hostage takers in great detail
The Governor reassures the people of Sinkat Province that he is safe and working with EASF forces to bring peace to Carana

Exercise Play: (5). Rescue Mission for Kidnapped Villagers

A group of villagers has been kidnapped by the rebels in Carana; EASF rolls out a rescue mission for the villagers
The troops immediately swing into action
The rebels have confiscated livestock belonging to the villagers
EASF troops take precautions seeking to take the rebels by surprise
The hostage area offers little or no cover for a surprise intervention
The rebels have been killing livestock in a "scorched-earth-policy" aimed at subduing the villagers
The surprise attack fails; the rebels take off but leave the villagers unharmed
The villagers surrender; it is suspected that some of them could be rebels
The tented area is completely surrounded by EASF forces
After this demobilization, some checks are necessary to ensure that the villagers are not part of the enemy
They are marched towards a secure area for subsequent security check-ups
The allied forces carry out rigorous security checks
Small weapons can be easily concealed under normal daily attire
Most of the villagers under scrutiny are young men
The entire area is secured as more checks are carried out
The media documents the whole process in its objective reporting
Troops celebrate the successful accomplishment of the task
The multinational force takes every credit for professionally handling the hostage situation