Royal Gibraltar Regiment celebrates 25 years of military cooperation in Morocco

The Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) has completed Exercise Jebel Sahara, a major UK military training exercise in Morocco that marks a quarter-century of partnership between Gibraltar's regiment and Morocco's 2nd Parachute Infantry Brigade (2BIP).

The exercise was led by A Company from the 3rd Battalion The Rifles, commanded by Major Hemsley, with significant participation from both full-time and reserve soldiers from the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. On-ground leadership was provided by Lieutenants Joseph Pfang and Kristian Diani, while twelve additional RG members supported the training and mentoring of Moroccan troops.

To commemorate the 25-year partnership, General Sir Patrick Sanders visited the exercise in his role as Honorary Colonel of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. The visit held special significance as General Sanders is also a former Rifleman, reinforcing the connections between the RG, 3 Rifles, and their Moroccan counterparts. He was accompanied by the Commanding Officer of the RG, Lieutenant Colonel John Pitto, Regimental Sergeant Major WO1 Karon Fortunato, and Second-in-Command Major Dayan Pozo.

The deployment carried particular meaning for Lt Col Pitto and Maj Pozo, who are among the last serving Regiment members present at the exercise's inception 25 years ago. Lt Col Pitto emphasised that the exercise represents not just a milestone of cooperation, but the enduring friendships and operational trust built between the two forces. He noted the Regiment's pride in serving as the constant link in this partnership and expressed satisfaction at seeing the exercise expand to include other British Army units.

Lt Joseph Pfang described leading part of the Regiment on the deployment as an honour, highlighting the professional and personal rewards of working alongside 3 Rifles and 2BIP. .

The Regiment's sustained involvement in Exercise Jebel Sahara underscores its distinctive role within the UK's Armed Forces in fostering defence engagement, delivering operational excellence, and strengthening international military cooperation.