Syria weighs joining Mecca defence pact with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Pakistan

Syria is considering joining a mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan, according to Al Jazeera and Arab News. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani spoke about the matter on Saturday at the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain.

Al-Shaibani said: "Discussions are currently under way to evaluate Syria's entry into the Mecca alliance." He added that Damascus is an integral part of regional security and would support any framework that protects regional stability.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed in Mecca in August by Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan. It states that an attack on one of the three countries is to be considered an attack on all three.

Al Jazeera reported that Saudi Arabia is under heavy fire from Yemen's Houthis. Pakistan and Turkiye have pledged military support to Riyadh under the pact, but neither has yet announced any attacks on the Houthis.

Al Jazeera also reported that ratification of the pact in Turkiye is ongoing. Turkish government officials said future military support for Riyadh would not include sending Turkish troops to fight in Yemen or attack the Houthis.

Saudi Arabia is a key backer of Syria's government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, which came to power after Bashar al-Assad fell in December 2024. Arab News linked the discussions to that Saudi support.

Al-Shaibani said Syria backs Yemen's Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government in restoring sovereignty and stability across its territory.

He also said Israel has carried out more than 1,000 attacks on Syria in less than two years, killing dozens of people. He asked: "How can calls for border control and placing weapons exclusively under state control be justified while Syrian sovereignty is violated and targeted on a daily basis?"