Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye agree to deploy troops
Faced with new escalations in the war in Yemen, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are rapidly deploying military forces and capacities to the kingdom as part of the Mecca Defense Pact.
Quick Look
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have agreed to rapidly deploy military forces under the Mecca Defense Pact to respond to threats from the Houthi militia following an emergency meeting in Riyadh.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the Mecca Defense Pact with an assistance clause in August.
With the new escalation in the war in Yemen, Saudi Arabia is again coming under fire from its southern neighbor. His allies want to support the kingdom.
Military alliance: Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announce the cooperation.
Riyadh. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have agreed to quickly deploy military forces and capabilities to the kingdom. The three countries announced this in a joint statement after an emergency meeting in Riyadh as part of the Mecca Defense Pact.
It was decided to move immediately to the practical implementation of the joint defense pact "and to take the necessary steps to deploy the agreed military forces and capacities and ensure their rapid deployment in the Kingdom," it said.
The emergency meeting in Riyadh was held to address the threats facing Saudi Arabia, the statement added. The announcement did not provide any details about the extent to which troops and equipment would be transferred to Saudi Arabia. Pakistani units are already stationed in Saudi Arabia under a long-standing military partnership.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the Mecca Defense Pact in August. This contains a support clause similar to that in the NATO treaty, according to which an attack on one party is seen as an attack on all. Saudi Arabia has recently come under pressure due to advances by the Houthi militia in Yemen and attacks on the important East-West pipeline and is hoping for support from its allies.
Islamabad: Play supporting role
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, who attended the meeting, told Geo News that Saudi Arabia - which is fighting alongside the government against the Houthi militia in Yemen - had recently made gains there, the Dawn newspaper reported.
When asked about a possible role for Pakistan and Turkey, Asif replied that both states were “present in the operational area,” but only Saudi troops were involved in combat operations. Turkey and Pakistan are currently playing a “supporting role” and Pakistan is involved in educational measures.
More: Türkiye wants to expand new “Mecca Defense Pact”.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Practical implementation of the defense pact and deployment of forces
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- To what extent will troops and equipment be transferred to Saudi Arabia?
- How will the Houthi militia react to the deployment?
