Paratroopers at Colchester Garrison honed their urban combat skills during a week-long training mission.

East Anglian Daily Times: From house-to-house fighting to dealing with hostile crowds and the threat of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) weapons, paratroopers have practised the full range of skills they need to operate in built-up areas. Exercise Urban Eagle has placed troops from 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) on a mission to support an ally tackling an insurgency backed by a hostile neighbour.From house-to-house fighting to dealing with hostile crowds and the threat of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) weapons, paratroopers have practised the full range of skills they need to operate in built-up areas. Exercise Urban Eagle has placed troops from 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) on a mission to support an ally tackling an insurgency backed by a hostile neighbour. (Image: Crown Copyright 2015: This image may be used for current news purposes only.)

Exercise Urban Eagle saw roops from 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) support an ally tackling an insurgency backed by a hostile neighbour.

The training, at the STANTA ranges in Norfolk, saw attacks on the mock village at Eastmere clearing out enemy fighters building-by-building.

They also faced simulated chemical attacks, caused either deliberately or through damage to industrial buildings and riots.

Major Mark Swann, Officer Commanding C (Bruneval) Company, 2 PARA, said: “We are held ready to deploy on operations at very short notice, and need to have the skills and flexibility to conduct the full spectrum of military activity in any environment.

“This exercise is about refreshing and confirming our skills to fight both in urban areas and deal with CBRN, which add extra complexities to operations.”