Amidst several upsurge of acts of terrorism in some parts of the world including Nigeria, the Saudi government has planned a major exercise to sharpen a battle ready internal security forces against any act of terrorism.

Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, second deputy premier and minister of interior, declared recently, adding that the exercise will be a three-week event.

Naif will oversee the 21-day event, which will be held in the Northern Province starting Wednesday.

Over 1,500 soldiers and security personnel will take part, from the Border Guard, Special Security Forces, Public Security (special emergency forces and security patrols), Premises Security Forces, Aviation Security, Civil Defense, Command and Control Center of the interior ministry, Supreme Commission for Industrial Security, and the Customs Department.

A ministry spokesman said the main aim of the exercise is to improve the readiness of the country’s security agencies to counter attacks by extremist and terrorist organizations.

The exercises would include a focus on the use of state-of-the-art technology. Personnel would also be checked for fitness levels. The drills include raids on hideouts of terror groups, rescuing civilians during fights between security forces and terrorists, treating the injured and firefighting.

In January, armed men attacked a Border Guard patrol near Saudi Arabia’s frontier with Iraq, killing two guards and wounding a third. Four of the attackers, all Saudi members of the Islamic State group trying to cross back into the Kingdom, were killed.