Türkiye is preparing to seek parliamentary approval for deploying military personnel to Saudi Arabia under a trilateral defence agreement with Pakistan and Riyadh, a ruling party official said.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the deployment mandate would be submitted to parliament after lawmakers approve legislation ratifying the agreement.
Türkiye submitted the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by the three countries in August, to parliament for ratification on Tuesday. The pact establishes a mutual defence commitment under which an armed attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all three.
An official from Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) said Turkish personnel deployed under the agreement would not participate in offensive operations. Initial deployments would focus on technical experts and specialists providing air defence assistance, electronic warfare capabilities and other defensive support.
Earlier, officials indicated that Türkiye’s contribution could initially be limited to military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems, with no other form of deployment undertaken under the alliance so far.
Türkiye has condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition aimed at safeguarding maritime navigation in the Red Sea.
The defence agreement requires the three countries to use necessary means to address threats to one another’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and internationally recognised borders.
Its provisions also call for immediate assistance if any member faces an armed attack or military aggression, with the nature and extent of support determined through an assessment of the assistance required and the resources available.
The arrangement resembles NATO’s collective defence principle under Article 5 and refers to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognises the right of individual and collective self-defence.
At an emergency meeting in Riyadh earlier this month, the three countries agreed to facilitate the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.
The agreement also provides for cooperation in defence production, intelligence sharing, logistics and counterterrorism, including operational coordination.
