Morocco and UK Forge Desert Alliance: ’Jebel Sahara’ Exercise Marks 25 Years of Military Cooperation

Regularly organized since 1989 by the Moroccan and British armies, this exercise illustrates the strength of the military cooperation between Morocco and the United Kingdom. The exercise "constitutes a permanent annual event for the exchange of operational and tactical experiences, as well as a refinement of skills in coordination, planning and preparation for combat, in training environments faithfully reproducing the realities of the terrain with its climatic and operational challenges," can be read on an official FAR page.

The 2025 edition has a special significance, "as it coincides with the twenty-fifth anniversary of the launch of this bilateral exercise. It was marked by exceptional commemorative ceremonies in the presence of the British Ambassador to Rabat and a number of senior officers and military officials from both sides, concretely illustrating the strength of the historical ties and the solidity of the defense cooperation between the two friendly countries," it is specified.

Several Moroccan and British military units are participating in "Mountain of the Desert 2025," including formations from the Royal Gendarmerie, the 1st and 2nd Parachute Infantry Brigades of the Royal Armed Forces, as well as the Royal Gibraltar Regiment of the British Armed Forces.