The tension between England and Argentina over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic gained a new dimension with the military exercise carried out by the British army in the region.
According to the news of British newspapers The Independent and The Times, the British Armed Forces organized a comprehensive exercise based on the recapture of the Falkland Islands against a possible military intervention by Argentina.
Approximately 150 soldiers from the 2nd Battalion of the British Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) and approximately 100 local reserve soldiers living on the islands participated in the six-day exercise.
In the exercise, some stages of the military operation plan implemented in the 1982 war between England and Argentina were revived.
As part of the exercise, British soldiers carried out an amphibious landing in the San Carlos region, where British forces landed on the islands in the 1982 war.
Then, the troops made a night march of approximately 32 kilometers towards the Goose Green region and carried out attack and close combat training against designated targets.
Typhoon warplanes of the British Royal Air Force also provided air support to the exercise.
In addition to traditional warfare methods, soldiers also received training in defense against drone attacks and other modern threats.
A British officer participating in the exercise stated that the training provided the soldiers with the opportunity to understand the experiences of the British troops fighting in 1982 and said, "We had the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors."
SOVEREIGNTY REACTION FROM MİLEİ TO ENGLAND
The British army exercise was carried out at a time when Argentinian President Javier Milei was re-introducing his sovereignty claims over the Falkland Islands.
In his statements at the United Nations (UN), Milei argued that the islands that Argentina calls Malvinas were "illegally occupied".
While the Argentine administration continues to claim sovereignty over the islands, it has also increased its diplomatic and legal initiatives against Britain's activities in the region.
Britain, on the other hand, rejects Argentina's demands for sovereignty, defending the right of the people of the Falkland Islands to determine their own future.
One of the most prominent topics in the recent dispute between the two countries has been the oil exploration and production activities planned around the Falkland Islands.
Argentina has launched an international legal initiative to stop the approximately $2.2 billion Sea Lion oil project planned to be developed in the north of the islands.
The Buenos Aires administration, which opposes the project involving British Rockhopper Exploration and Israeli Navitas Petroleum companies, argues that oil activities in the region violate sovereign rights.
Argentina's application to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on October 13 was one of the developments that increased the tension between the two countries.
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: WE WILL DO EVERYTHING NECESSARY
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that they will take all necessary steps to protect British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
Burnham emphasized that their support for the people living on the islands' right to determine their own future will not change.
British Deputy Foreign Minister Uma Kumaran also reacted to the statements of the Argentine administration.
Kumaran described Milei's statements as "provocative" and the statements of Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno as "increasingly aggressive".
Stating that they will respond to Argentina's initiatives against companies in the region, Kumaran said, "We will respond decisively and quickly to threats that aim to intimidate companies and exceed Argentina's jurisdiction."
Kumaran argued that such initiatives undermine legal security and damage Argentina's reputation as a reliable economic partner.
"WE ARE READY TO TAKE ADDITIONAL MEASURES"
Stating that England may take additional measures if the tension continues, Kumaran said that these steps will be lawful and proportionate.
"These measures will be legal, proportionate and I assure you they will be strong," Kumaran said.
Emphasizing that the London administration is not looking for a conflict with Argentina, Kumaran also stated that they do not want the dispute to affect the relations between the two countries on a larger scale.
British military officials assess that Argentina's current military capacity is not sufficient for a comprehensive operation to capture the Falkland Islands.
However, Britain maintains its military presence on the islands. A British garrison consisting of Typhoon warplanes, missile systems and ground troops is on duty in the region.
British officials state that military units are kept prepared against possible threats.
TWO COUNTRIES Fought a War in 1982
The Falkland Islands dispute between England and Argentina turned into war in 1982.
After the Argentine army landed on the islands on April 2, 1982, Britain sent military units to the region.
The war, which lasted approximately 10 weeks, ended with the surrender of Argentine forces on June 14, 1982. A total of more than 900 people from both sides lost their lives in the war.
The sovereignty dispute over the islands, which have been under British control since 1833, has not been resolved despite the passing years.
While Argentina maintains its sovereignty claim over the region it calls the Malvinas Islands, Britain defends the current status, citing the right of self-determination of the inhabitants of the islands.
