Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia activate Makkah pact's defense commitments

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye on Monday agreed to immediately activate the Makkah Defense Alliance after ongoing security threats to the Kingdom, marking the first-ever activation of the defense agreement between the three countries, signed earlier this year.

The decision follows an emergency meeting in Riyadh, where the alliance's Political and Defense Committee agreed to deploy rapid forces designated under the agreement, along with military capabilities.

In a statement on X, Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi Defense Minister, said, “The emergency meeting ... affirms the solidarity and unified stance of our countries in confronting the sinful aggressions that targeted the Kingdom and the Holy Sanctuaries."