Soldiers from the Albanian Land Force departed from the Zall-Herr base toward the Bizë Training Center on early Tuesday, marking the formal start of the multinational exercise. Bizë Training Centre will host intense phases of the military drills, including offensive and defensive operations, and strategic deployments in rough terrain.

In a post on the social media, the Minister of Defense Pirro Vengu shared pictures showing troops relocation in Zall-Herr base.

“Troops from the Albanian Land Force departed from Zall-Herr base in early morning to head towards Bizë Training Centre, officially beginning and joining the Defender Europe 25, one of the largest and most complex military exercises in Europe and Africa,” Defense Minister wrote.

“Defender Europe 25” (DE25) is a US-led series of large-scale military exercises involving multiple countries in Europe and focusing on the deployment of personnel and equipment for large-scale combat operations under the NATO’s Article 5 to respond with self-defense actions. DE25 is designed to prepare for sustained combat operations in multiple theaters. The exercises include training to defend important facilities, securing embarkation points, as well as offensive and defensive operations in strategic regions of Albania and Kosovo.

The exercise demonstrates the commitment of European nations to increase the scale, capability and interoperability of their own armies.

“Defender Europe 25” will also demonstrate Albania’s unwavering commitment to allies and NATO partners, as an opportunity to show readiness of the Armed Forces to serve alongside the country’s strategic partners in the Western Balkans and in Europe.

DE25 involves multiple European countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Slovakia, and others.

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KFOR announced that the drills are scheduled from September 18 to the end of October and aim to test and refine KFOR’s rapid deployment procedures and integration of additional forces.

KFOR didn’t disclose the location where the military drills are set to take place.

The British contingent, part of the Royal Yorkshire Regiment, will engage in various training activities alongside other KFOR units.

According to KFOR, these exercises are designed to enhance the mission’s readiness to respond to any relevant security developments in the region.

The announcement of these exercises follows recent training conducted by KFOR on the Iber Bridge, emphasizing the mission’s ongoing commitment to stability and security in Kosovo.

KFOR has maintained a continuous presence at the Iber Bridge in Mitrovica, which separates the Albanian-majority south from the Serb-majority north. Kosovo is currently seeking to reopen this bridge for vehicle traffic.

The international community has urged Kosovo authorities to refrain from opening the bridge, whereas NATO mission and the European Union have called for dialogue on the issue.

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