S. Korea, U.S. stage joint special operations drills

South Korea and the United States have conducted combined special operations drills aimed at enhancing reconnaissance and capabilities to strike targets, the South's Army said Thursday, amid efforts to bolster deterrence against North Korean threats. The five-day exercise began Saturday at the Army's Special Warfare School in Gwangju, 32 kilometers southeast of Seoul, involving troops from the Army Special Warfare Command, the Air Force Combat Control Team and the U.S. 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade. South Korean commandos staged training on securing a target area, striking a facility and eliminating enemy forces. The troops departed the training area using U.S. UH-60 and CH-47 helicopters and South Korean choppers, the Army said. The drills took place in conjunction with the allies' annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which ended its 11-day run earlier Thursday. Source: Yonhap News Agency