Turkey says will not send troops to fight Yemen's Houthis

ANKARA — Turkey's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, has firmly stated that his country will not be sending troops to combat Yemen's Houthi forces, despite a defense pact with Saudi Arabia. The Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, have been conducting a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia following a major offensive in Yemen against the internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia in August, obligates the three nations to assist each other should one be attacked. However, Fidan emphasizes that this pact is defensive in nature and not offensive. He explicitly clarifies that Turkey will not deploy its troops to another country's territory to launch an attack.

Fidan further notes that Turkish and Saudi military delegations will collaborate to determine any necessary defensive measures, but refrains from providing specifics. The agreement, which requires parliamentary approval in Turkey, unites NATO's second-largest army, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, the sole Muslim nation with nuclear capabilities.