NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 30- More than 100 security officers drawn from the highly trained Special Program for Embassy Augmentation and Response team (SPEAR) on Saturday participated in a joint anti-terrorism readiness exercise.
The exercise included simulated explosions, blank gun fire, fire and traffic disruption.
The scene of action was at the leafy neighbourhood of Gigiri at Rossyln Academy, not far away from the US Embassy and the UN headquarters.
This was the sixth such exercise, meant to ensure Kenya is ready for any security eventuality.
“This is the sixth exercise and we continue to work with Kenya in ensuring safety and security of all. It is a depiction of a possible real situation,” Embassy spokesman Andrew Veveiros said.
Three hundred people participated in the exercise including local hospitals.
This is a regular exercise to ensure the security agencies are ready for any such real situation.
Embassy spokesman Andrew Veveiros said the exercise is aimed at making sure the security agencies are ready for various situations.
The mock exercise started with suspected terrorists taking control of a van and forcing their way into the school.
Security guards were first to be attacked, in a seamlessly planned drill.
This was followed by a suicide bomber and gunshots for a while.
Then there were responses from various agencies including security, ambulances and hospitals.
Kenya has been a victim of various terror related attacks in the past that left many dead and scores injured.
The latest large scale terror attack was in January, 2019 when 21 people including British and American citizens were killed at Riverside 14 complex.
There was improved response from Kenya’s security teams unlike in September 2013 when Westgate mall was attacked.
More than 60 people were killed during that attack.
“The objective of this is to be ready in case of an emergency situation,” he said.
“We will continue training for emergency situations.”
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