Stories
Turkey Rules Out Sending Troops to Yemen Despite Saudi Defence Pact
- •Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed that Turkey will not send troops to Yemen to fight Houthi forces.
- •The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan is strictly for collective defence and not offensive operations.
- •Turkey remains prepared to offer defensive and technical assistance, including military equipment and intelligence sharing.
- •The announcement follows escalating missile and drone attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on Saudi territory, including airports.
- •Reports indicate Syria may potentially deploy troops to assist Saudi Arabia against the Houthi attacks.
Key Questions Answered
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan clarified that Turkey will not send troops to Yemen to launch offensive operations, emphasizing that the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement is strictly for collective defense. Instead, Ankara is prepared to provide defensive and technical assistance, including military equipment, intelligence sharing, and weapons systems.
Signed in August by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement commits the three nations to mutual defense, treating an armed attack on one member as an attack on all three. The agreement is currently being implemented as Riyadh faces escalating Houthi missile and drone attacks.
Turkey's opposition parties argue that entering into a defence pact with a country actively involved in a war makes Turkey a party to the conflict. They also object because the agreement has not been submitted to Turkey's Grand National Assembly for ratification, which is constitutionally required for deploying troops abroad.
