Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu met Saudi Chief of General Staff Gen. Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili and Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Riyadh on September 25.
Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said the meeting was held within the framework of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The chiefs reportedly stressed the need to turn the agreement’s provisions into operational plans on the ground, including joint military exercises and the development of compatible defense systems. Regional air and maritime security, intelligence sharing and joint deterrence against ballistic missile and drone threats were also on the agenda.
The agreement was signed on August 7 by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The meeting took place as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia intensify.