World
Turkiye’s parliament ratifies Mecca defence agreement
Parliament's approval lays the groundwork for further Turkish involvement in Saudi Arabia's conflict with the Houthis.
Al Jazeera•
Turkiye’s parliament has ratified a defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that includes a collective defence clause, committing NATO’s second-largest military to the group’s aid in case of attack.
The ratification on Thursday comes as Riyadh continues to face attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis.
Turkiye first signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August and sent it to parliament for ratification last month.
Other articles in the Mecca pact concern a mutual agreement to increase defence industry cooperation and military coordination, with the aim of deterring threats.