Jordanian Brigadier-General Mohammed al-Thlaji, commander of the exercises from the Jordanian side, said the drills will involve all branches of the military, including special forces. Training will include counterterrorism, border security, crisis management, strategic communications and future planning, he said, according to Jordanian media.
Approximately 7,000 troops are involved in the drills, including 3,500 US personnel.
US CENTCOM director of Exercises & Training Maj. Gen. Jon Mott has confirmed that a mobile lab team will respond to a simulated chemical incident. The officer told reporters that chemical weapons are a threat that's "all too real, as we've seen recently in Syria."
Mott called the Eager Lion drills a "golden opportunity" to work out threat scenarios which may arise in the region at the operational level.
The US, the UK and France launched airstrikes against targets in Damascus and Homs province on April 14 over an alleged chemical attack in Douma, Eastern Ghouta on April 7; Washington blamed the Douma attack on the Syrian government. Damascus and Moscow condemned Saturday's strikes, and called the Douma attack a false flag.
