Around 600 members (pictured) of various European police and military forces have carried out a European Union (EU) funded training exercise, in preparation for major civil unrest and even war.
The exercise took place in North Rhine-Westphalia on the 15th of April, and is part of the EU’s ongoing Lowlands Gendarmerie program.
So-called ‘Gendarmeries’ are a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations, and all seven European countries that maintain such “robust” units are joined together in the European Gendarmerie Force (Eurogendfor).
The European Commission financed three similar joint exercises in Italy, France and Germany back in 2008, Junge Welt reports.
The first series of Lowlands Gendarmerie exercises kicked off in 2014, with Special Forces from Kenya, Cameroon, Rwanda, Uganda and Sudan present. This year, it is reported that gendarmes from Turkey, Tunisia and Cameroon are involved.
The exercises are run by the European Union Police Services Training (EUPST), who’s aim is to, “enhance skills of police officers likely to be deployed in post conflict situation”, as well as, “developing the rapid deployment capability of police in international crisis situations.”
“One language, one common procedure”, goes the EUPST motto.
