Nepalese warriors hired to ensure security at US-North Korea summit
(Baonghean.vn) - During the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore next week, the two leaders will be protected by men from one of the bravest warrior tribes in the world, the Nepalese Gurkha force.
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| Gurkhas, recruited by Singapore police from the mountains of Nepal, provide security at the Shangri-La Dialogue. Photo: AP |
While the US and North Korean leaders will bring their personal security teams, Singapore's elite police force, including the Singapore army's Gurkha commando unit, will ensure the safety of the summit venue, roads and hotels, according to informed sources.
The Gurkhas, who have a low-key presence in Singapore, made a more public appearance than usual over the weekend as they provided security at the Shangri-la Hotel, where the Shangri-la Security Dialogue was taking place.
The Gurkhas, recruited by Singapore police from the remote mountains of Nepal, were equipped with full body armor, advanced Belgian-made FN SCAR assault rifles and pistols to ensure security at the Shangri-La Dialogue, in what some security experts said was a rehearsal for the US-North Korea summit.
“They are among Singapore’s most elite forces, and I’m sure they will be involved in ensuring security for the US-North Korea summit,” said Tim Huxley, an expert on Singapore’s armed forces at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). “They remain a vital and frontline force, and the demands of such an important event are the kind of special operations that the Gurkhas are trained to handle.”
The Singapore police spokesman has not yet announced the number of Gurkha soldiers to be deployed in the near future./
