Mecca pact committee set to meet in Riyadh

Mecca pact committee set to meet in Riyadh
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan is received by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, 7 August 2026.
Reuters

A committee overseeing the Mecca defence pact between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will meet in Riyadh on Monday, 5 October, to discuss regional developments and the alliance’s institutionalisation, Türkiye's foreign ministry said.

The meeting comes amid heightened tensions in Yemen, where the Saudi-backed government has announced a major military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and Chief of the General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu are expected to take part in the meeting of the pact’s strategic political and defence committee.

Officials from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will also attend.

“The meeting will address recent developments in the region and the stage reached in the Alliance’s institutionalisation efforts,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Yemen conflict at forefront of discussions

The talks are expected to include discussion of the latest developments in Yemen.

Earlier on Sunday, the head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed government Rashad al-Alimi, announced the start of a major military operation against the Houthis, aimed at seizing territory currently under the group’s control.

Pakistan’s foreign minister said on Friday that Iran had proposed political engagement with the Houthis following attacks by the group.

He said the proposal would be discussed by members of the Mecca defence pact committee during their meeting in Riyadh this week.

Monday’s meeting is expected to focus both on immediate regional security issues and on the next stage of cooperation within the alliance.

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