Jordan is hosting a competition of elite anti-terrorism squads from 18 countries, including fellow members of the military coalitions fighting rebels in Yemen and Islamic State extremists in Iraq and Syria.

Members of the Jordanian women's police special operations team wait to compete during the 7th Annual International Warrior Competition hosted by the King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC), Sunday, April 19, 2015, Amman, Jordan.

Members of the Jordanian women’s police special operations team wait to compete during the 7th Annual International Warrior Competition hosted by the King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC), Sunday, April 19, 2015, Amman, Jordan. Image by (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)

The 7th Annual Warrior Competition offers a chance for team leaders to “meet and to know each other, as the terrorists have become international”, according to Colonel Khaled Abu Hamad.

The competition, which involves 10 events, opened with a drill by Jordanian special forces rescuing hostages from a plane and rappelling from a helicopter.

Members of the Palestinian special police forces (S.P.F) wait to compete during the 7th Annual International Warrior Competition hosted by the King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC), Sunday, April 19, 2015, Amman, Jordan.

Members of the Palestinian special police forces (S.P.F) wait to compete during the 7th Annual International Warrior Competition hosted by the King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC), Sunday, April 19, 2015, Amman, Jordan. Image by (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)

Among those participating are the US, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. China won the competition last year.

Jordan is a member of a US-led military coalition against Islamic State militants. It also supports a Saudi-led campaign against rebels in Yemen.