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Shots rang out as gunmen opened fire inside a mall and at nearby vehicles, injuring several members of the public.
Not long after, armed hijackers onboard a plane threatened to blow up the aircraft.
These were the two opening scenarios of Exercise Nexus Resolve, a joint counter-terrorism exercise by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), held at the Home Team Tactical Centre (HTTC) and Singapore Changi Airport in the evening of 5 May 2026.
The two simulated terrorist attacks occurred about two hours apart, stretching into the early hours of the following day. The incidents were linked with the attackers coordinating their activities across both sites.
More than 1,000 personnel from the SPF, SAF and Singapore Civil Defence Force participated in the Exercise, alongside key aviation stakeholders.
On Land: Taking Hostages
At 5.30pm, attackers opened fire at commuters on an MRT platform located in the mall basement at the HTTC. More gunfire outside caused two cars to collide, injuring the passengers. The gunmen subsequently took 10 bus passengers hostage.
Ground Response Force officers secured the area while officers from the Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU) arrived shortly after to negotiate with the gunmen. Upon noticing the increased police presence, the attackers called “999” to warn the Police to stay away.
The attackers demanded that the Police release their imprisoned comrades within the next two hours and threatened to kill one hostage every half an hour.
Officers established a cordon as negotiations continued. However, these negotiations did not bear fruit after many hours. Shortly after midnight, the SAF moved in to subdue the attackers while the hostages were safely escorted out.
In the Air: Hijacking a Plane
While the mall shooting happened, armed individuals hijacked an aircraft en route to Singapore and threatened to kill everyone. One of the passengers was also stabbed.
As the plane landed at Singapore Changi Airport, the hijackers agreed to release some hostages in exchange for a doctor to attend to their injured comrade at the mall. But similar to the shooters at the mall, they demanded the release of their imprisoned comrades – otherwise, they would continue to hold the rest of the aircraft passengers hostage and kill them.
Cordons were established and CNU officers began negotiations. The released hostages disembarked from the aircraft and were safely escorted out.
With the hijackers’ demands for their comrades to be released were not met, one of the hijackers eventually configured Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) onboard the aircraft.
After a few moments, the hijackers detonated the IED, injuring many passengers. The SAF swiftly moved in to storm and secure the aircraft and the hijackers, preventing further injury or loss of life. Crime Scene Specialists then processed the scene to collect forensic evidence while Police officers interviewed the arrested subject.
Throughout, Officers worked closely with aviation stakeholders at the airport to secure affected areas and ensure the continuity of critical operations.
The Exercise concluded with all remaining hostages safely evacuated and the attackers neutralised. Beyond testing the ability of agencies to operate together under complex and dynamic conditions, Exercise Nexus Resolve reinforced national preparedness and public confidence in Singapore’s response to terrorist incidents.
Commander of APD, Assistant Commissioner of Police (AC) M. Malathi, said: “The SPF will continue to work with agencies and stakeholders to maintain a high level of operational readiness through regular training and exercises, and stand ready to respond swiftly and effectively to any security or terror threats.”
