Turkey to send limited contingent to Saudi Arabia — newspaper

ISTANBUL, October 6. /TASS/. Turkey plans to increase its military presence in Saudi Arabia by sending a limited military contingent and equipment to the kingdom in the coming weeks, the Middle East Eye quoted Turkish officials as saying.

Turkey has been deploying technical groups, air defense and electronic warfare systems in Saudi Arabia since last year to protect its critical infrastructure.

Turkey may send a limited contingent to Saudi Arabia for technical purposes based on a 2010 agreement. To expand the military presence, a parliament permission is required. Turkish lawmakers are expected to approve the mandate in October, and special forces, pilots and planes will be sent to Saudi Arabia, the newspaper writes.

"We do not plan to send a large group of soldiers and directly intervene in the situation in Yemen," MEE quoted a senior Turkish official as saying.

Earlier the countries members of the Mecca Alliance (Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey) decided to immediately move to the practical implementation of commitments on joint defense and the deployment of military forces on Saudi territory. It was adopted at an emergency meeting of the strategic political and military committee of the pact held in Riyadh on October 5. A joint statement following the meeting said that the transfer of troops would be carried out in accordance with the national laws of the member countries of the alliance.

The reason for the activation of the Mecca Agreement of the three countries was the increased Houthis attacks from the Yemeni rebel movement Ansar Allah on Saudi Arabia.