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Turkish Parliament Ratifies Makkah Defense Pact

General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
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Turkish Parliament Ratifies Makkah Defense Pact

General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)

Türkiye's parliament ratified a regional defense pact involving Saudi Arabia and Pakistan overnight, state media reported.

The three countries signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in August, committing them to come to one another's aid if any member is attacked.

Lawmakers approved the measure by 279 votes to 119, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.

During parliamentary debates, ruling AKP lawmaker Ziya Altunyaldiz said the agreement was not directed against any third country and was intended to prevent conflicts rather than escalate them, Anadolu reported.

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Gulf

Turkish Parliament Ratifies Makkah Defense Pact

General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
TT
TT

Turkish Parliament Ratifies Makkah Defense Pact

General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)

Türkiye's parliament ratified a regional defense pact involving Saudi Arabia and Pakistan overnight, state media reported.

The three countries signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in August, committing them to come to one another's aid if any member is attacked.

Lawmakers approved the measure by 279 votes to 119, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.

During parliamentary debates, ruling AKP lawmaker Ziya Altunyaldiz said the agreement was not directed against any third country and was intended to prevent conflicts rather than escalate them, Anadolu reported.

Gulf

Coalition: Air Defenses Intercept Two Houthi Ballistic Missiles Targeting Najran

Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Coalition: Air Defenses Intercept Two Houthi Ballistic Missiles Targeting Najran

Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Official Spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki said on Friday that air defenses intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the terrorist Houthi militia toward Saudi Arabia's Najran.

Debris fell as a result of the interception, and an assessment of the damage is currently underway, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia and Türkiye Seek to Strengthen Security Cooperation

(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)
(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia and Türkiye Seek to Strengthen Security Cooperation

(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)
(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif met his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci, in Ankara on Thursday for talks focused on strengthening security cooperation between the two countries.

Prince Abdulaziz said the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman emphasized the importance of further developing bilateral security cooperation, building on the close ties between the two countries.

Prince Abdulaziz said the two countries' longstanding historical and fraternal ties had set an example of cooperation and coordination across various fields.

He said the Makkah Defense Agreement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, reflects the strength of Riyadh-Ankara relations and their converging strategic interests and priorities amid the current geopolitical landscape. The agreement marks an important step that demonstrates the two countries' leaderships' commitment to addressing regional and international crises, he added.

The talks focused on strengthening security cooperation and coordination, including efforts to combat extremist groups and cross-border crimes such as drug smuggling and trafficking, amid regional and global challenges.

Both sides stressed the importance of further strengthening security cooperation in areas of mutual interest, developing partnership frameworks and coordinating efforts on security issues in line with the aspirations of their countries' leaderships.