Hong Kong police hold anti-terrorism drill at airport

The Special Duties Unit of the Hong Kong police staged a tactical intervention to neutralize terrorists and saved the hostages during a counter-terrorism exercise at the Hong Hong International Airport, Hong Kong, south China on April 23, 2021. (Source: HKSAR government press service)

The exercise comprised two scenarios simulating the discovery of a suspicious object at the airport terminal and an operation against terrorists conducting knife attacks, taking hostages and threatening to detonate a bomb.

HONG KONG, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong police held a counter-terrorism exercise in the small hours Friday at the Hong Kong International Airport to improve response to emergencies such as the discovery of suspicious objects and terrorists taking hostages.

About 200 officers participated in the exercise codenamed "IRONWILL," which was organized by the police's operations wing and inter-departmental counter-terrorism unit.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau of the Hong Kong police used a robot to handle the suspicious object suspected to be a bomb during a counter-terrorism exercise at the Hong Hong International Airport, Hong Kong, south China on April 23, 2021. (Source: HKSAR government press service)

The exercise comprised two scenarios simulating the discovery of a suspicious object at the airport terminal and an operation against terrorists conducting knife attacks, taking hostages and threatening to detonate a bomb.

The exercise aims to raise public awareness about counter-terrorism and remind people of the proper response during terrorist attacks, the police said, vowing continued efforts to step up counter-terrorism work and strengthen the related deployment and capability to guard against the breeding of local terrorism, the police said.