‘Istijaba 24’ Tactical Exercise to Test Oil Spill Response Along Tabuk Region’s Coast

The tactical exercise "Istijaba 24" is set to launch tomorrow along the coasts of Tabuk Region. The drill aims to address marine pollution incidents resulting from oil spills, with the participation of 42 governmental and private entities. Participants will test their human and technical capabilities to protect the marine and coastal environment from any pollution impacts on the region's biodiversity.
 Field Event Commander for the exercise Nafil Al-Rashidi explained that "Istijaba 24" falls within the framework of activating the National Plan for Combating Marine Pollution by Oil and Harmful Substances. The exercise targets the development of national cadre capabilities and participating entities, evaluating their ability to execute response operations under high-pressure and sensitive operational conditions. It also focuses on the speed of response to reports across any geographical scope of pollution and ensuring the availability of resources and equipment necessary to protect vital and sensitive facilities.
 Al-Rashidi stated that the National Center for Environmental Compliance is leading the event according to the structure of the National Plan to assess the efficiency of integration and coordination among participating entities. This leadership enhances readiness and preparedness by implementing operational scenarios that simulate actual conditions and various emergency cases.
 He emphasized the importance of the exercise in testing and evaluating the effectiveness of spill containment equipment and technical monitoring mechanisms, leading to control, rehabilitation, combat, and cleanup. He added that these efforts align with measuring the environmental emergency plans of all participating entities through accurate reports submitted at the end of the tactical exercises to the relevant authorities for development and to address any gaps identified.