ISLAMABAD, Sept 26: Top defence officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye have reaffirmed their commitment to collectively defend the security and sovereignty of Saudi Arabia following recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The trilateral meeting of the countries’ defence chiefs and chiefs of general staff was held in Riyadh on Friday, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan Army.
The officials reviewed the security situation and threats facing Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
The agreement, signed last month, provides a framework for collective deterrence and states that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all.
The officials condemned attacks targeting Makkah and Saudi Arabia’s civilian and economic infrastructure, while commending the preparedness of the Saudi Armed Forces.
They also discussed strengthening military coordination, intelligence sharing and cooperation among their armed forces.
The meeting followed talks between the foreign ministers of the three countries in New York a day earlier, where they discussed security challenges facing Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan has also appointed former Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as the first Secretary-General of the trilateral alliance.
