OMM Redaksiyası
Turkey and Pakistan will send military forces to Saudi Arabia in response to attacks by Yemen’s Houthis. The three countries have agreed to activate a joint defense pact.
The decision followed an emergency meeting of defense and foreign ministers in Riyadh on Monday. The agreement, known as the “Mecca Defense Alliance,” is being activated for the first time since it was signed on August 7.
Under the pact, an attack on any of the three countries will be treated as an attack against all of them. The principle recalls a key provision of NATO’s founding treaty.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said the members had agreed to activate “collective deterrence measures” against the attacks and those responsible for them. In a social media post, he said the alliance had reaffirmed its unity in “confronting the heinous attacks against the Kingdom and the holy sites.”
A joint statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the three countries would provide agreed military forces and capabilities and work to deploy them rapidly to Saudi Arabia. It added that commitments would be fulfilled through established mechanisms and in accordance with each country’s laws. The number of troops and their arrival date were not disclosed.
Several hours before the announcement, forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government launched a counteroffensive to retake areas captured by the Houthis last month.
Yemeni forces backed by Saudi Arabia said they had retaken the Red Sea port city of Mocha and taken control of the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The Saudi-led coalition confirmed its participation in the operation and said 100 fighter jets had provided air support.
The Houthis claimed to have attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and an Aramco refinery in the coastal city of Rabigh. The group also said it had targeted other facilities, including an airport and an air base. Riyadh has not confirmed the claims.
