Turkey

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye agree to deploy forces in Gulf

Three sides convene an emergency meeting amid Houthi attacks

Pak, Saudi, Turkey agree on rapid force deployment amid Houthi attacks

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have agreed to take measures for the rapid deployment of military forces in the kingdom amid escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis, according to a media report. The Strategic Political and Defence Committee (SPDC) of the trilateral Makkah Defence Alliance held an emergency meeting in Riyadh on Monday to address the security developments and threats facing Saudi Arabia, Dawn reported, quoting Pakistan's Foreign Office(FO). The trilateral defence agreement, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in August, establishes a framework for collective deterrence and stipulates that an armed attack against any one of them would be regarded as an attack against all. "The committee decided to move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defence commitments and to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the kingdom," Dawn reported .

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan to hold urgent meeting over Houthi attacks

The Houthis have launched strikes on Saudi-backed govt in Yemen and repeatedly fired into Saudi Arabia, disrupting oil flows from the world's largest energy exporter, as part of a wider West Asia war

Turkiye to withdraw forces from Iraq base, hand over control to Baghdad

Turkiye has agreed to gradually withdraw forces from a strategic military base in northern Iraq and hand over its control to the Iraqi government, following a meeting between the two countries' leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Iraq, meanwhile, pledged to remove armed groups that Turkiye considers security threats from the region of Sinjar, in northwestern Iraq, according to a joint statement issued after the meeting late Wednesday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. "In light of the progress Iraq has achieved through security measures, Turkish forces will gradually hand over the Bashiqa-Zelikan camp to the Iraqi federal government, in accordance with the agreed-upon mechanism and timeline," according to the joint statement released by Erdogan and al-Zaidi's offices. Turkiye and Iraq also agreed to "fully extend the authority of the Iraqi state in Sinjar and to end the presence of banned foreign armed .

Turkey signals military support for Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks

Ankara signals technical support under the Mecca alliance as Houthi strikes test regional security

Inside Turkey's stock market scandal as authorities rush to contain fallout

Turkey has frozen trading in funds and ordered 130 funds to be liquidated after a market sell-off; the central bank has also stepped in with more lira liquidity to limit further fallout

Will Turkiye COP bring countries back to the emissions discussion table?

The first of a 3-part series looks at how emission will be a major issue at the Antalya climate summit to be held in November

US targets three Turkey-based entities with Iran-related sanctions

The entities targeted are Golden Global Portfoy Yonetimi Anonim Sirketi, Golden Global Varlik Kiralama Anonim Sirketi, and Golden Global Yatirim Bankasi Anonim Sirketi

Bangladesh open to join Saudi Arabia-Pakistan-Turkiye defence alliance

Bangladesh is open to joining the recently formed defence alliance between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, two junior ministers have said, while stressing that any decision would be guided by the country's national interests. Signed in Makkah on August 7, the pact establishes a framework for collective deterrence and stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all three. "Bangladesh maintains a positive approach towards the possibility of joining an economic or defence framework involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, taking into account its own interests and the changing dynamics of the global economy and trade," newly appointed state minister for foreign affairs Humayun Kobir said. In an interview with the Bangla service of state-run BSS on Friday, Kobir said the government was pursuing a "Bangladesh First" policy and a balanced foreign policy with national interests at its core, which might lead Dhaka to join the ..

Bangladesh may join Saudi-Pakistan-Turkiye pact if national interests align

Bangladesh is open to joining the recently formed defence alliance between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, two junior ministers have said, while stressing that any decision would be guided by the country's national interests. Signed in Makkah on August 7, the pact establishes a framework for collective deterrence and stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all three. "Bangladesh maintains a positive approach towards the possibility of joining an economic or defence framework involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, taking into account its own interests and the changing dynamics of the global economy and trade," newly appointed state minister for foreign affairs Humayun Kobir said. In an interview with the Bangla service of state-run BSS on Friday, Kobir said the government was pursuing a "Bangladesh First" policy and a balanced foreign policy with national interests at its core, which might lead Dhaka to join the ..

Best of BS Opinion: Asim Munir, power, and paranoia

Today's opinions examine the Saudi-Turkiye-Pakistan defence pact, leadership challenges at the Tata group, Asim Munir's growing powers and the political potency of negative branding

Israel strikes Syria air base to block possible Turkish troops deployment

Israel struck an air base in northwest Syria early Tuesday, saying it aimed to prevent Turkish troops from deploying there. Turkey, which has close ties with the Syrian government and has been providing assistance to Syria's military, has tense relations with Israel. The rival countries have sought to curb each other's influence in neighboring Syria. Eight strikes hit the runway of the Abu Duhur air base in the northwestern province of Idlib, causing damage but no casualties, state TV said. Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani told reporters in Damascus that Syria condemns the "Israeli aggression," adding that the strikes were "an unjustified provocation, a violation of Syria's sovereignty, and a direct threat to regional and global stability." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that Israel had attacked the base because Syria had been "on the verge of breaching" an agreed-upon "status quo in security matters" by allowing Turkish troops to ...

Big, bold step: Trump welcomes Saudi-Turkey-Pak defence pact amid Iran war

US President Donald Trump has termed the Saudi Arabia-Turkey-Pakistan defence agreement a "big, bold and important first step" towards defending themselves in a "more meaningful way". Trump's remarks on Sunday came days after the three nations signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement -- holding any armed offensive against any of the three countries an attack against all of them. "Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. It shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "Congratulations to the Great Leadership of the three Nations mentioned. THIS IS A BIG, BOLD, AND IMPORTANT FIRST STEP - WOW," Trump wrote. The agreement was signed August 7 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. India said

Turkey lays out plans for defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

The three Sunni Muslim US allies, ​alarmed by a regional conflagration that ​has brought Iranian missile fire onto Gulf oil exporters, signed the "Mecca Joint Defence ​Agreement" on August 7.

Trump says his plane faced 'greater risk' in secret flight change

Following a Nato summit in Ankara, Trump was transferred from Air Force One to a military plane via a catering truck in an extraordinary deception prompted by an Iranian assassination threat

With Trump secretly evacuated, imperiled Air Force One became flying decoy

In response to a threat against the jet last month, the president was clandestinely removed in a catering container. But the plane was sent into the skies anyway with government employees and reporter

Catering container to military jet: How Trump is said to have left Turkiye

US officials say Trump was secretly moved from a decoy Air Force One to a military jet after a credible Iran threat during the Nato summit in Turkiye.

Trump secretly flew from Turkey on smaller aircraft due to Iranian threat

Trump had taken the newly renovated Qatari-donated jet to Ankara for the Nato summit but he unexpectedly used an older Air Force One when departing the country

Explained: The Mecca Joint Deterrence Agreement and its key provisions

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a defence pact that treats an attack on one as an attack on all, with Egypt and other countries seen as possible future members

Saudi, Turkey and Pakistan sign joint defence deal amid regional turmoil

Iran and its allies have been firing on Saudi and other Gulf states, and blockading their energy shipments, since US and Israel attacked it on Feb 28 in major escalation of years of regional tumult