Saudi Arabia launched alliance of 34 countries to fight terrorism

S audi Arabia has announced the establishment of an “Islamic military alliance” with 34 nations to coordinate and fight against “terrorism”, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Tuesday.

“The alliance will share intelligence and train, equip and provide forces if necessary”, he told reporters in Paris.

A coalition of Muslim nations will form a joint operations room in Riyadh to combat terrorism in Islamic countries, in the first coordinated Muslim military effort against extremists.

Pakistan had never joined any military alliance without United Nations backing; the official said adding that was the reason why it did not join the Yemeni conflict on the side of Saudi Arabia.

Muslimi and Krieg did not see the new coalition leading to a more direct Saudi military role in Syria.

But he said there will be coordination with all worldwide organizations and the World’s important countries in this action.

The announcement of the coalition comes after Saudi Arabia succeeded in bringing Syria’s disparate opposition groups to the negotiating table.

Talking to journalists, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry said he was surprised to read the news that Saudi Arabia had named Pakistan as part of the alliance.

Jubeir said neighbors of countries with power vacuums can request for assistance whenever necessary, as shown on what happened in Libya where political rivalries benefitted the Islamic State.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry welcomed the formation of the alliance to counter terrorism but did not confirm claims by the Saudi authorities.

The statement said the formation of the alliance “was based on the Islamic Cooperation Organization’s agreement on the fight against all sorts of terror”.

Mohammed said other countries including Indonesia have expressed support without yet joining the bloc, “but out of keenness to achieve this coalition as soon as possible, (this alliance of) 34 countries has been announced”.

This follows United States President Barack Obama’s speech calling on Middle East allies to do more in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, signalling a growing frustration within the administration that Saudi Arabia and other allies in the region have yet to help the USA build up a Syrian Arab coalition of ground forces to push back the militant group. It’s unclear how such a coalition would function across the Islamic world and if countries would allow it to conduct military operations within their own borders.

“But in general, it appears it is very much in line with something we’ve been urging for quite some time, which is greater involvement in the campaign to combat ISIL by Sunni Arab countries”.