Turkey Moves to Ratify Mecca Defence Pact and Authorise Personnel Deployment

Turkey has formally submitted the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement to parliament for ratification, a step that would bring NATO’s second-largest army into a mutual defence framework with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. A ruling-party lawmaker confirmed that a separate mandate authorising the deployment of military personnel to Saudi Arabia will follow once the treaty is approved.The Mecca agreement, signed in August, treats an armed attack on any one of the three parties as an attack on all. Turkish officials have stressed that the pact is defensive in character. Any personnel sent to Saudi Arabia would initially focus on technical support, air-defence systems, electronic warfare capabilities, and related defensive assistance rather than offensive operations.The move comes as Saudi Arabia continues to face repeated attacks. Ankara has already indicated willingness to share military technology and expertise. Parliamentary approval remains required under the Turkish constitution before any troops or specialists can be deployed abroad.The legislative process will determine how quickly the political commitment can be translated into practical military cooperation on the ground.