Troops invade coast for NZ's largest military exercise

Soldiers patrol a checkpoint in Inverness St, Dunollie, outside O'Brien Park this morning as Exercise Southern Katipo 2017 encroached closer to Greymouth. Photo: Greymouth Star
Soldiers patrol a checkpoint in Inverness St, Dunollie, outside O'Brien Park this morning as Exercise Southern Katipo 2017 encroached closer to Greymouth. Photo: Greymouth Star

The invasion has begun. The first of more than 2000 troops in Exercise Southern Katipo 2017 moved into Greymouth yesterday, with the first live firing expected tonight.

New Zealand's largest military exercise involves more than 2000 military personnel from 14 countries around the Pacific.

As of this morning there were up to 300 troops in Reefton (Australians and New Zealanders), 80 at Stillwater (from Tonga and Papua New Guinea), up to 50 at Dunollie and 60 at the Omoto Racecourse, with 300 more due from tomorrow.

"We moved into Reefton two nights ago in the early hours," Lieutenant Colonel Martin Dransfield said.

"We appreciate the support from the Reefton community."

Soldiers will start patrolling the streets of Greymouth from tomorrow, and he said the public were welcome to give the soldiers a "hi".

The first live firing is scheduled for the early hours of tomorrow, around Runanga and Stillwater, though that was still to be confirmed.

Mr Dransfield said they would have soldiers positioned around the streets to warn residents ahead of the live firing.

The bad weather had prevented scheduled aircraft landings, but one of the first in will be an NH90 helicopter, probably late at night.

Meanwhile, a public open day planned for the Greymouth aerodrome, then moved to the Omoto Racecourse, has gone back to the aerodrome as the Defence Force felt it was more central for the public.

The exercise sees the military split into two opposing camps as unresolved ethnic rivalries between Becara's Wesso majority and Havo minority explode into a new wave of violence two years after a multinational force led by the New Zealand Defence Force helped restore peace and stability.

At the weekend, Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn was 'evacuated' to Westport. The 'enemy' has now been pushed southwards out of Westport. Mr Kokshoorn will be restored towards the end of the exercise when Doug Griffin is overthrown.

Any members of the public with queries can call the Defence Force on 021 487 980.

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