On April 4, the Cameroon Air Force conducted a simulated criminal attack exercise at the Tchabbal shooting range, located 25 kilometres from Ngaoundéré, to test their tactical competence.
The operation aimed to assess the air-to-ground intervention capabilities of the Cameroonian defence forces and their readiness to respond to crisis scenarios.
The exercise started with a search and rescue mission following a simulated plane crash.
Search and Rescue Operations Forces, supported by airborne assets, swiftly responded to locate and retrieve survivors from the wreckage.
However, the situation took a dire turn when the survivors fell into the hands of criminals who seized them as hostages.
Responding to the escalating threat, commandos were deployed to liberate the hostages. Despite the success of the operation, some commandos sustained injuries during the intense exchange of fire.
Prompt medical evacuation via helicopter transported the injured personnel to a military hospital for urgent treatment.
As the situation unfolded, criminal reinforcements converged on the battlefield, posing an increased threat to the defense forces and the camp. To bolster security, Air Riflemen were mobilized to protect the forces and the campsite.
Additionally, an armored threat was identified to the north of the battlefield, prompting the deployment of fire support to neutralize the enemy.
The entire exercise, which lasted less than two hours, was closely monitored by high-ranking officials, including Air Brigade General Jean Calvin Momha, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the Adamawa Governor, Kildadi Taguiéké Boukar.
The Cameroon Air Force is part of the Cameroon defence forces, which also includes the Cameroon Navy, the Cameroon Army, the National Gendarmerie, and the Presidential Guard.
They protect the nation’s territorial integrity, fight against terror threats, protect the presidency and vital institutions in the country, and intervene in times of extreme internal upheavals.
The defence forces, notably the Army, Gendarmerie and the Air Force, have been at the forefront of combating various security challenges, including the Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North and the Anglophone Crisis in the English-speaking Regions.
