Syria weighing whether to join Mecca pact
Foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani said discussions are currently underway to evaluate Syria's entry into the Nato-style defence alliance.
Syria's top diplomat stated on Saturday that Damascus is contemplating whether to join the NATO-style Mecca defence alliance comprising Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Saudi Arabia, facing intense pressure from Yemen's Houthis, is a crucial supporter of Syria's government, which assumed power following the ousting of former ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani disclosed the potential entry discussions during the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain. Saudi Arabia has been rallying allies against the escalating Houthi assaults, including a significant strike that temporarily closed Riyadh's international airport in late October. In August, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed the defence pact in Mecca, a city revered by Muslims as Islam's holiest site.
The pact stipulates that an attack on any member nation is deemed an attack on all three. Neither Pakistan nor Turkey has disclosed any attacks on the Houthis, who are backed by Iran. French President Emmanuel Macron made an unexpected visit to Riyadh earlier this month, announcing that France had dispatched troops to safeguard a vital Saudi oil terminal from Houthi aggression.
Additionally, the UK government announced its deployment of British fighter planes to aid Saudi Arabia in countering Houthi attacks in October.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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