By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Timour Azhari
ANKARA/RIYADH, Oct 7 (Reuters) – Turkey is sending mainly defensive and technical support to Saudi Arabia to help it fight Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis, two officials said on Wednesday, after the NATO member and Pakistan pledged to act on the collective defence commitment of their newly formed alliance.
Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, under which an armed attack on one member constituted an attack on all. They have been working to set the parameters of the new alliance and have held political and military meetings in response to the Houthi attacks.
On Monday, the countries said they had agreed to move immediately to implement their collective defence commitments and ensure the “rapid deployment” of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.
Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a robust defence industry, has condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, voiced willingness to help meet Riyadh’s technical military needs, and agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition to ensure navigational safety in the Red Sea.
A Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the support expected from Turkey was only in the form of military equipment, intelligence sharing, and weapons systems, adding that no other form of deployment had taken place as part of the alliance so far.
DRONE OPERATORS, FINE-TUNING DEFENSIVE MEASURES
Officials have said that Turkish support for Saudi Arabia — including air defence systems — would largely be in a bilateral capacity for now, as Turkey’s parliament has not officially ratified the joint pact. The amount and nature of the support would increase after ratification, they have said.
A US official briefed on the matter said that Turkey had so far decided to send capabilities that were broadly defensive, including strategic planning support and help with logistics. The official said the assistance included drone operators and help with fine-tuning defensive measures, as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking to state media after an extraordinary meeting of the Mecca alliance in Riyadh, said the sides had discussed what support to provide Saudi Arabia to help its defensive capabilities.
“We had our Defence Minister and Chief of General Staff with us, and they especially provided very fruitful views on military issues, operational issues, and technical matters,” he said on Monday.
Pakistani and regional officials have said Ankara and Islamabad have provided Saudi Arabia with military equipment that the kingdom is using in Yemen.
This week, Yemeni government forces with Saudi-led coalition air support launched a counter-offensive to recapture strategic territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an international shipping route for energy exports and other trade.
Officials had told Reuters last week that Saudi Arabia was planning an offensive against the Houthis, with options being considered including a coastal push to secure the Red Sea shipping route or an assault on multiple fronts.
(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Timour Azhari; Editing by Humeyra Pamuk, Aidan Lewis)
