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Turkey, Pakistan to rapidly deploy troops to Saudi Arabia under Mecca Joint Defence Agreement as Houthi attacks escalate

Turkey, Pakistan to rapidly deploy troops to Saudi Arabia under Mecca Joint Defence Agreement as Houthi attacks escalate

A street vendor sells vegetables outside a popular eatery in Sanaa Photograph: (AFP)

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Turkey and Pakistan will rapidly deploy troops to Saudi Arabia under a new defence pact as Houthi attacks intensify across the region

Turkey and Pakistan will undertake a ‘rapid deployment’ of troops to Saudi Arabia under a new mutual defence alliance, as the Gulf kingdom faces increasing attacks from Yemen's Houthi movement. The announcement came on Monday after representatives from Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia held an emergency meeting in Riyadh to discuss the kingdom's security situation.

The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, committing to support one another if any of the member states comes under attack. The agreement brings together Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest military, Pakistan, the Islamic world's only nuclear-armed country, and Saudi Arabia, the leading military and economic power in the Gulf.

During Monday's meeting, the three countries discussed recent attacks against Saudi Arabia, including incidents targeting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The joint statement did not specifically name Iran-backed Houthi forces.

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The three countries 'reaffirmed their unequivocal rejection of any attack or threat against the Kingdom's security and territorial integrity', they said in a joint statement.

They also agreed to move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defence commitments and to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the Kingdom. The statement did not provide details about the number of troops involved or clarify what specific duties the Turkish and Pakistani forces would undertake after arriving in Saudi Arabia.

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Saudi Arabia has faced repeated Houthi attacks targeting cities, oil facilities and maritime routes since Yemen's civil war intensified again in July. The security situation has deteriorated further after the Houthis launched a new offensive in September, capturing large areas of territory from Yemen's Saudi-backed government. On Monday, forces backed by Riyadh launched a counteroffensive aimed at reclaiming Houthi-held territory, including areas that the group has controlled for more than a decade.

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Jatin Verma

With over 12 years of experience in journalism, Jatin is currently working as Senior Sub-Editor at WION. He brings a dynamic and insightful voice to both the sports and the world o...Read More