Turkish FM: 'No Deployment of Troops to Foreign Territories for Offensive Purposes'

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan drew a line on October 8 (local time) regarding the situation where Saudi Arabia, an ally under the "Mecca Joint Defense Treaty," is clashing with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, stating that Turkey will not deploy troops "for offensive purposes."

According to Anadolu Agency, during a joint press conference following a meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó in Ankara that day, Minister Fidan stated, "If a treaty member state is attacked, we come together to defend that country."

However, he added, "This is not an offensive treaty," and emphasized, "Turkey will not deploy troops to another country's territory to carry out attacks."

This is interpreted to mean that even if Turkey sends military personnel to Saudi Arabia, operations will be strictly limited to the defense of the ally.

Minister Fidan mentioned that procedures to ratify in the Turkish parliament the Mecca Joint Defense Treaty—signed last August by three Sunni Muslim nations in the Middle East, namely Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan—have been reported to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Minister Fidan stated, "We have decided to submit this to parliament as soon as possible, and practical preparations are virtually complete."

Turkey's rush for parliamentary ratification is interpreted as a preliminary step to clarify the legal basis for military support to Saudi Arabia.

Regarding the meeting of the Strategic Political Defense Committee of the three Mecca defense alliance countries held in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on October 5, Minister Fidan conveyed, "Attacks against Saudi Arabia were discussed."

He also added that Turkey and Pakistan are reviewing how to contribute to defense against the Houthi rebels, stating, "We are doing our utmost to resolve the situation peacefully and through dialogue."

Following the Riyadh meeting, these countries issued a joint position stating that they would "immediately embark on the practical implementation of collective defense commitments, provide agreed military troops and capabilities, and take necessary measures to ensure their swift deployment to Saudi Arabia."

In connection with this, the Middle East-focused media outlet Middle East Eye reported on October 6, citing a senior Turkish official source, that Turkey could deploy special forces personnel, military aircraft, and pilots—whose mission is limited to defensive support—to Saudi Arabia within weeks.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.