Mecca Defense Alliance agrees to ‘immediately’ implement collective defense commitments

Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan agreed Monday to “immediately” implement collective defense commitments and take measures to ensure the “rapid deployment” of agreed military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia, according to a joint statement.

The decision came during an emergency meeting of the Mecca Alliance’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee in the Saudi capital Riyadh to address security developments and threats facing the kingdom.

“The Committee decided to move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defense commitments,” said the joint statement of the three member states sitting on the committee.

It also agreed “to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the Kingdom.”

The deployment will proceed in line with “the approved arrangements and the national legislation of the Parties, thereby enhancing readiness, military integration, and the collective capacity to confront and counter threats,” it added.

The three countries also condemned “in the strongest terms the attempted targeting” of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina along with continuing attacks on other Saudi cities and civilian and economic facilities.

The committee also appointed Pakistan’s Nauman Mahmood, a retired lieutenant general, as the alliance’s first secretary-general, set to serve a three-year term.

The pact forming the new alliance was signed on Aug. 7, followed by steps by its three member states to institutionalize the agreement.