Brussels, July 17 (RHC)-- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) says it plans to conduct its largest military maneuvers in a decade next October. A NATO commander said on Thursday that the planned drills, code-named Commonwealth Trident Juncture-2015, would be held across the Mediterranean.

General Hans-Lothar Domrose, who is the chief organizer of the drills, said the growing threat from the ISIL terrorists in Iraq and Syria is forcing the alliance to turn away from East and deal with growing instability caused by the terror group.

“We cannot choose between the eastern threat and the southern threat, we have to train for both,” Domrose, said.

In addition, Domrose noted, the new type of threats coming from the Takfiri militants go beyond geographical boundaries, as the group utilizes social media as a propaganda tool to stir terror attacks across the globe.

Nearly 36,000 servicemen from over 30 nations are reportedly expected to take part in the maneuvers, including non-NATO countries such as Sweden and Austria. Reports say the drills will take place in Italy, Spain, Portugal and in the Mediterranean Sea from October 3rd to November 6th.