Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has affirmed the joint exercise the security forces launched yesterday is not a response to any specific threat.
In a statement, MNDF said the training exercise is part of the series carried out in collaboration with Maldives Police Service, in the wake of the April 21 terror attack in Sri Lanka. Although it is not a response to a specific threat, any suspicious activity should be reported to the police helpline 119 or the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) toll-free number 1615, MNDF added.
Speaking about the training exercise, Director General at NCTC Brigadier General Zakariyya Mansoor said the objective is to be prepared for any possible situation and that such exercises are necessary for the safety of the citizens. Any possible threat to the masses would be communicated to the public and urged all to refrain from spreading unfounded rumours, which might create fear among the masses, Brigadier General Zakariyya also added while speaking with PSM News. He stressed on the importance of Maldivians being vigilant on regional matters. He also reiterated the MNDF statement that the exercise is not a response to a specific threat.
Meanwhile, on the same context, Maldives Police Service also urged the public to refrain from spreading unfounded rumours from untrustworthy sources. The police made the statement in response to the information being rotated in social media, alleging that the training exercise being carried out by the security forces is in response to a real threat. The police stated the exercise as part of the efforts to strengthen multi-agency corporation, as per the 2019-2024 strategic action plan.