Special Operation Forces conference and exhibition (SOFEX)

[fatman17]

No /2008-ISPR Dated 1-4-08

AMMAN, April 01, The seventh edition of the world’s leading Special Operation Forces conference and exhibition (SOFEX) began yesterday at the King Abdullah I Air Base in Marka in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The Prime Minister H. E Mr Nader Dahabi of Jordan inaugurated the conference.

The (SOFEX) is a four day event that starts off with a one day conference programme comprising a series of comprehensive and topical seminars being delivered by key military officials and defence manufacturers from around the world, tackling a wide range of issues. Around 300 exhibitors from 60 countries and more than 300 military officials and government representatives from 55 countries are attending SOFEX including Pakistani delegation which is being led by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Tariq Majid (CJCSC). Counterparts of CJCSC from 19 other countries are also leading their delegations in SOFEX.

Three sessions were held on the first day of SOFEX in which delegates from Jordan, United States of America, United Kingdom, Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon and France delivered their speeches on current counter terrorism and home land security. The Special Services Group Commander of Pakistan Army, Major General Tahir Mahmood presented the new doctrine on “Special Forces as Peace Keepers”. His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, delivered his speech on Global Terrorism and Global Response.

Major deals between key local, regional and international manufactures in the field of special operation forces and homeland security are expected to be signed at SOFEX 2008.

 

[blain2]

Tahir: Special Forces of Use in U.N. Missions

By SEAN D. NAYLOR

AMMAN — Special forces are an ideal force to conduct United Nations peacekeeping missions because they “are most suited to fight low-intensity conflict in unconventional environments,” Maj. Gen. Tahir Mahmood, commander of Pakistan’s Special Services Group, told the audience at the Middle East Special Operations Commanders Conference here March 31.

Among the duties that special forces can assume in peacekeeping, peacemaking or peace enforcement missions are training, security, quick-reaction, counterterrorist, anti-terrorist, counterguerrilla warfare and clandestine roles, Tahir said.

Special forces can train other elements of a U.N. force before and after that force’s deployment into the area of operations, but they can also train host country forces and “locals against guerrillas,” he said.

Potential tasks included within the security role are the protection of high officials and dignitaries, the guarding of sensitive installations, escorting visiting delegations, securing ceremonies and other events and the escorting of U.N. convoys, Tahir said.

The general outlined, with the help of PowerPoint slides, a series of tactics and techniques that special forces could use in the other roles. His list ranged from sniping and hostage-rescue actions to observation and reporting and more exotic-sounding techniques such as “the rabbit hunt” and “direct snap action.”

When discussing the clandestine role, he noted that “special forces are capable of conducting operations in disguise.”

“In the present situations, carefully structured, equipped and trained special forces provide the most reliable means to an organization like the United Nations for the application of military force to achieve U.N. peace objectives,” Tahir said.
Sofex - Conference 2008

Sofex - Conference 2008