He Army prepare the expedition of others 500 soldiers in Valencia to deal with the emergency caused by last Tuesday’s floods. These are units with a very specific profile and specialized in needs such as logistics, heavy vehicles, communications and above all, sappersthe military engineering units which will be decisive in freeing access and streets by eliminating the thousands of vehicles which block the villages concerned. Military police and green berets. “The 120,000 members of the Armed Forces are ready to leave if necessary,” said the Minister of Defense. Some soldiers criticize the slowness of the deployment.
The Army has already mobilized various units, which will arrive on the ground this Friday and begin work on Saturday. Among them are the Transmission control and the Information Operations Regiment of Valencia, the Lusitania Cavalry Regiment 8 of Valencia, the Parachute Infantry Regiment Zaragoza 5 of Alcantarilla, the Military Police Battalion of Bétera, the Logistics Brigade of Zaragoza, members of the General Inspectorate of the Army of Barcelona, the Aragonese Brigade, in addition to the Airmobile Forces and Special Operations Command.
🔴 To support people affected by #danahe #ArmyLand deploys soldiers and equipment:
Signal Command (Valencia) / Information Operations Regiment (Valencia) / Lusitania 8 Cavalry Regiment (Marines – Valencia).
Rgto.Infantry paratrooper Zaragoza 5 /… pic.twitter.com/kxU2rXUkc2– Earth Army 🇪🇸 (@EjercitoTierra) November 1, 2024
In addition, a mobilization order was given to the King Alfonso XIII Brigade of the Legion, based in Viator (Almería), where there is a large contingent of sappers.
What is already there
Among the troops already mobilized to help in areas affected by DANA are Airmen from the Parachute Sapper Squadron, who departed at dawn from Alcantarilla Air Base to support the Military Emergency Unit (UME) and communities affected. In addition, vehicles of the Air Deployment Support Squadron (EADA) accessed the Jaime I Base in Bétera, Valencia.
A large Marine Corps contingent was also mobilized, including two buses with 100 infantrymen and a support column consisting of ten trucks, four light vehicles and a Vamtac cargo ship that transported 31 additional infantrymen to collaborate in debris removal and food. distribution.
The Ministry of Defense confirmed the participation of the Third Army in these operations, as well as army units, such as the 21st Signal Regiment, the Information Operations Regiment, the Lusitania Cavalry Regiment No. 8 and the Zaragoza Regiment No. 5, both specialized in parachute operations.
Currently, the armed forces are deployed in more than ten localities in the province of Valencia, including Utiel, Requena, Chiva, Alaquàs, Torrent, Paiporta, Algemesí, Benetússer, Massanassa and Riba-roja, especially in the residential area of Reva. Troops were also deployed to Letur, Albacete province, to assist in recovery efforts.
Robles: “Whatever it takes”
Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Friday that army troops will be increased “as long as necessary” for rescue and reconstruction tasks in all cities affected by DANA in Valencia, such as Ribarroja, Paiporta or Algemesi. and guaranteed that “there will be no limitation of means”.
Robles assured that the Army is already working in the sectorized areas and reaffirmed the “absolute commitment” to be present in all necessary locations, with the deployment of up to 120,000 soldiers if necessary, with all material resources and as part of a strategic plan. .
This Friday, Defense announced that 500 additional soldiers have already arrived in the affected areas, adding to the 1,200 who were already supporting the victims in the province of Valencia, to reach a total of 1,700 UME soldiers. In addition, reinforcements were transferred from different regions of the country, including from an emergency morgue at Feria Valencia, in Paterna, and from another headquarters of the Institute of Forensic Medicine.
Robles stressed that the army will act in all affected localities, specifically mentioning Utiel, Requena, Ribarroja, Paiporta and Algemesí, reiterating that there will be no restrictions on resources. “The army will be where it is needed, without limitation of means,” he declared.
Likewise, Robles explained that the Army’s main missions in the field include rescue tasks, such as “digging out people trapped in basements or ground floors,” extricating stuck vehicles and securing transporting supplies and food to affected areas.
