SOLDIERS have been putting their desert warfare skills to the test in a training exercise in North Africa.

Colchester-based paratroopers are taking part in an exercise called Jebel Sahara in Morocco to develop their skills.

Soldiers from 2 Para are on a three week long exercise near Marrakech to learn from the Moroccan troops’ experience of operating in the hot, dry and demanding conditions of the desert.

The paratroopers from Merville Barracks have shared their own skills in patrolling, both on foot and in vehicles, marksmanship, demolitions and casualty care.

Troops also honed their fire and manoeuvre tactics on live fire battle runs.

The exercise is building towards a war game with British and Moroccan troops fighting side-by-side to seize an airstrip to use as a base to launch strike operations from.

The soldiers are training to serve as a lead infantry battlegroup for 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team (BCT), which is held at readiness to deploy on worldwide operations.

The team is specially trained and equipped to deploy by parachute, helicopter and airlanding.

Major Ash Neve, Officer Commanding A Coy Gp, said: “Exercise Jebel Sahara is all about developing our readiness for operations, wherever and whatever is asked of us.

“We’ve been training on demanding and unfamiliar terrain and, by working side-by-side with the Moroccans, we’ve learnt from their experience of the desert and developed cultural understanding which will help if we operate with North African troops in the future.

“What is also important is that we’ve trained how we would fight.

“We’ve taken an expeditionary approach, living in austere conditions and relying on the bare minimum that we’ve brought with us or can source locally.”

2 Para’s Corporal Paul Burnell said: “It’s always interesting to come to a different country and environment to work with other countries' armies.

“It’s about understanding different challenges, looking at how our partners operate, and sharing skills.

“There’s been a really good relationship between us and the Moroccan soldiers.

“We’ve been playing football together and most of them speak some English, so we’ve been able to talk about our lives and careers.”