Mecca Pact Military Chiefs Meet in Saudi Arabia, Reaffirm Collective Defense of the Kingdom

The military chiefs of the Mecca Pact member states gathered in Saudi Arabia, in a meeting that reviewed “the threats facing Saudi Arabia,” according to statements from the defense ministries of the three countries.

Attending were Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Asem Munir, Saudi Chief of General Staff Fajjad al-Ruwaili, and Turkish Chief of General Staff Selcuk Bayraktaroglu. The participants “strongly reaffirmed their commitment to collective defense, stressing the determination of the three nations to safeguard Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

The military chiefs condemned the attacks that targeted the city of Mecca and Saudi civilian and economic infrastructure, and, according to a Pakistani statement, pledged to “translate the commitments of the Mecca defense pact into effective cooperation.” The table also discussed “enhancing intelligence sharing, military coordination and capability integration,” the Pakistani military announced.

The meeting came after a Saudi request to Turkey and Pakistan for a gathering of military chiefs, following weeks of Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory, according to Al Jazeera.