Hundreds of elite police commandos will converge on Dubai next month to show off their skills in a five-day special operations competition.
Participating teams, from around the world, face five competitions that will test their tactical, assault and rescue skills before tackling an obstacle course in this year’s UAE Swat (special weapons and tactics) Challenge.
This year organisers will be upping the ante by adding new obstacles for the commandos to overcome.
Almost 50 teams from 26 countries will compete in the challenge to win a total of $170,000 including a daily prize of $10,000. The competition runs from February 9 to 13 and registration is still open.
Chechnya, China and Pakistan will be taking part for the first time, this year.
“Chechnya’s teams are being closely supervised by their President who has shown great interest in the event,” said Col Musabeh Al Ghafli, director of the challenge.
Officers from the US and UAE police departments will make up the jury this year “to ensure neutrality in choosing the winners,” said Col Al Ghafli.
Forty-nine international teams took part in last year’s competition. Dubai Police won the overall challenge, followed by the KGB of Belarus and Oseola County from Florida.
