Exercise on countering terrorism using weapons of mass destruction for the Southern Branch of Standing Office 81

In recent years, the world situation has evolved rapidly and unpredictably, with armed conflicts (Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, the Israel–Iran conflict, the Israel–Hamas conflict), conflicts of interest among major powers, and growing risks to nuclear safety and security and from toxic chemicals and biological agents. The prospect of non-state actors, including terrorists and their supporters, gaining access to and using weapons of mass destruction (WMD)/chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials poses a serious threat to international peace and security. Over the years, terrorist groups have experimented with new ways and means of acquiring and using more dangerous weapons to maximise damage and spread terror, including weapons incorporating CBRN materials. With advances in technology and the expansion of legal and illegal commercial channels, including the dark web and e-commerce, some of these weapons are becoming increasingly accessible.

In Vietnam, taking advantage of the policy of openness and integration into the world economy, domestic reactionaries colluding with exiled reactionaries, under the direction and with the support of hostile forces, have carried out numerous activities against the revolution. These have included a number of acts of sabotage aimed at disrupting order, political security and social order and safety, and at creating pretexts for calling on other countries and international organisations to interfere in Vietnam's internal affairs… In some localities, incidents bearing the hallmarks of terrorism using toxic chemicals or unknown powders have also occurred. Although the scale, scope and consequences of these incidents have been limited and they were promptly detected and effectively prevented by Vietnam's forces, their nature, methods and tactics are those of terrorist crimes.

The Chemical Corps, as the Standing Office of Vietnam's National Focal Point for countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (Standing Office 81), represents the National Focal Point in handling matters related to countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as provided for in Article 11 of the Government's Decree No. 81/2019/ND-CP of 11 November 2019 on countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Accordingly, to enhance the capacity of specialised forces to respond to WMD proliferation scenarios, the Chemical Corps – Standing Office 81, in coordination with the Department of Domestic Security of the Ministry of Public Security, organised an exercise on countering terrorism using weapons of mass destruction for the Southern Branch of Standing Office 81. The exercise also involved the relevant local functional forces in the area where Brigade 87 (Southern Branch of Standing Office 81) is stationed.

In the exercise scenario, domestic reactionary forces, supported by hostile and reactionary forces abroad, actively procure WMD-related materials and equipment and seek to develop and use improvised WMD for terrorism and riots, blaming the revolutionary government; this gives hostile foreign forces a pretext to slander and criticise Vietnam for failing to strictly control materials and dual-use goods that could be used to make WMD, in violation of United Nations resolutions, and to demand that international organisations inspect important industrial and defence facilities in Vietnam. The terrorists use UAVs carrying improvised bombs containing toxic chemicals to attack Tan Minh station (a major passenger and freight station in province D) and the chemical warehouse of Hai Ha Company located at the freight station, and at the same time detonate an improvised bomb placed in the passenger station area. The initial explosion seriously injures a number of passengers at the station and workers in the chemical warehouse area; the victims show signs of chemical poisoning and are at high risk of death. The explosion also creates a toxic cloud causing abnormal contamination over an area of about 2 km² downwind; several objects suspected of being improvised bombs are also found in the area. The initial rescue forces, lacking adequate personal protective equipment, show signs of poisoning and collapse at the scene. Based on the initial information and an assessment of the situation, the Chairman of the People's Committee of province D applies emergency counter-terrorism measures. After receiving the information and reaching the scene of the attack, the police and local competent authorities detect abnormal signs related to toxic chemicals (such as unknown powder at the scene, symptoms of poisoning in some victims and smoke of an unusual colour). The Counter-Terrorism Steering Committee of province D reports to the Standing Office of the National Counter-Terrorism Steering Committee and to the Standing Office of Vietnam's National Focal Point for countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. After receiving the information and assessing that the incident may involve terrorism using WMD, Standing Office 81 advises the Ministry of National Defence – the National Focal Point – to authorise the use of chemical forces in coordination with forces of the Ministry of Public Security to respond to and remediate the WMD terrorist incident. At the same time, the Counter-Terrorism Steering Committee of the Ministry of National Defence receives an order from the National Counter-Terrorism Steering Committee to deploy forces to respond to and remediate the WMD terrorist incident. On receiving the order from the Ministry of National Defence, Standing Office 81 – the Chemical Corps – deploys the Southern Branch of Standing Office 81 (Brigade 87), with the Southern Regional Centre for Response to Toxic Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Incidents and Counter-Terrorism as its core, which rapidly moves in, coordinates with the forces at the scene and organises the response to and remediation of the WMD terrorist incident. Forces of the Branch of Standing Office 81 conduct monitoring and reconnaissance to detect the toxic chemicals used by the terrorists; monitor the direction of dispersion of the toxic chemicals at the freight station; draw up a plan for responding to the WMD terrorist incident and toxic chemical incident; and carry out rescue operations and remediate the consequences of the attack;

They also advise on and deploy forces to coordinate with the local authorities in evacuating residents from the affected areas, and work with the local police to collect evidence for use in the diplomatic struggle.

Exercise DC-24 helped enhance the direction, command and control capacity and advisory role of Standing Office 81 and the relevant forces in coordination and cooperation in responding to and remediating terrorist incidents involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD), especially the coordination between Standing Office 81 – the Chemical Corps/Ministry of National Defence and the Department of Domestic Security/Ministry of Public Security in ensuring domestic security and countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The exercise helped raise the awareness and proficiency of the agencies and units involved in responding to and remediating terrorist incidents involving WMD; it also made it possible to promptly adjust and supplement training content to suit different target groups, and to advise on the issuance of legal documents on countering terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction that meet the requirements and tasks of the new situation.

Selected photos from Exercise DC-24:

Senior Colonel Nguyen Dinh Hien, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Corps and Deputy Head of Standing Office 81; Major General Vo Minh Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Domestic Security, Ministry of Public Security; and delegates direct and observe the exercise

Local initial response forces carry out rescue and firefighting

Chemical reconnaissance and rescue forces conduct reconnaissance and search for trapped victims

Decontamination of the incident area and of the vehicles involved in the mission

The Exercise Steering Committee presents awards to and encourages the forces taking part in the exercise

Tao Van Thuan - Centre 81