Turkey and Pakistan to send troops to Saudi Arabia under defence pact

By Cagla Uren & Euronews Turkish Published on 06/10/2026 - 10:05 GMT+2 Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp The three signatories of the August Mecca Joint Defence Agreement met in emergency session in Riyadh and agreed to move immediately to "rapid deployment" of military forces, uniting NATO's second-largest army, the Islamic world's only nuclear state and the largest Gulf power. Turkey and Pakistan will undertake a "rapid deployment" of troops to Saudi Arabia as part of a new mutual defence alliance, the three countries said Monday, as the Gulf kingdom faces escalating attacks from Yemen's Houthis. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In August, the three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, committing to come to each other's aid if one were attacked. The pact unites NATO's second-largest army, that of Turkey, with the Islamic world's only nuclear-armed state, Pakistan, and the largest Gulf power, Saudi Arabia. Their representatives held an emergency meeting in Riyadh on Monday, where they noted recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, in particular those targeting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, without mentioning the Tehran-backed Houthis by name. The trio "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 specify what sort of role the troops would fill once in Saudi Arabia. Related Houthis deny Saudi accusations of targeting Medina's holy sitesG7 leaders call on Yemen's Houthis to stop strikes on Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia has faced repeated Houthi attacks targeting its cities, oil infrastructure and ships ever since Yemen's civil war flared back to life in July. In September, the group launched a new offensive that seized swathes of territory from Yemen's internationally recognised government, which on Monday launched a counteroffensive with Riyadh's support, seeking to retake all Houthi territory, some of it held for more than a decade. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Read more Yemen's Houthis claim they shot down Saudi fighter jet, deny targeting Mecca Turkey and Pakistan to send troops to Saudi Arabia under defence pact Israel says pilot tried to crash Tel Aviv-bound plane during cockpit fight before safe emergency landing Saudi Arabia Houthis Mecca Comments