Saudi Arabia’s cabinet said on Monday in Riyadh that the Middle East’s largest ever war games are now underway and would boost military cooperation between the 20 Muslim nations taking part.

It said in a statement that the exercises tagged “Northern Thunder” commenced on February 14 and would run until March 10.

Saudi Arabia the host country, said the game involved than 150,000 troops from the Gulf Arab nations, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Jordan, Sudan and Senegal.

The council of ministers expressed the hope that the exercises would achieve what was defined as their goals in exchanging expertise and raising the level of military coordination.

The statement also praised the levels of preparedness and administrative and supply capabilities shown by the nations participating in Northern Thunder exercises.

(Reuters/NAN)