US, Jordan troops practice response to hazardous materials

ZARQA, Jordan – U.S. and Jordanian forces in protective suits have practiced how to handle chemical, biological and nuclear materials.

In Sunday’s scenario, the materials were detected in a simulated smuggling incident. Mobile laboratory teams surveyed the area, collected samples and then went through decontamination.

The drill was part of the annual 12-day “Eager Lion” military exercise involving more than 7,000 troops, including 3,500 U.S. service members. It was held near the Jordanian town of Zarqa, east of the capital, Amman.

Jordan is a close U.S. ally in the region.

Eager Lion began a week ago, just a day after the U.S., France and Britain launched missiles at Syrian military targets in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus earlier this month.