"South Africa has defended weeklong naval drills with Russia, Iran, China and other countries as essential, describing the manoeuvres off its coast as a vital response to rising maritime tensions globally. The Will for Peace 2026 exercises that began on Saturday off the coast of Cape Town come just days after the United States seized a Venezuela-linked Russian oil tanker in the North Atlantic, saying it had violated Western sanctions."
"Captain Nndwakhulu Thomas Thamaha, South Africa's joint task force commander, told the opening ceremony on Saturday that the drills were more than a military exercise and a statement of intent among the BRICS group of nations. It is a demonstration of our collective resolve to work together, Thamaha said. In an increasingly complex maritime environment, cooperation such as this is not an option, it is essential. The exercises also aimed to ensure the safety of shipping lanes and maritime economic activities, he added."
The Will for Peace 2026 exercises began off the coast of Cape Town as weeklong multinational naval drills involving Russia, Iran, China and other countries. The exercises came days after the United States seized a Venezuela-linked Russian oil tanker in the North Atlantic for alleged violations of Western sanctions. The drills aim to protect shipping lanes and maritime economic activity while demonstrating collective resolve among BRICS states. BRICS has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia. China and Iran deployed destroyers; Russia and the UAE sent corvettes; South Africa dispatched a frigate. All members were invited.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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