Buhari Leads Nigeria Into Islamic Alliance

The alliance will also train and equip forces with military grade weapons.

When asked if the alliance would deploy troops on the ground, Jubeir said “nothing is off the table”.

Saudi Arabia said more than 10 other countries have expressed support but have not joined the alliance. Defence Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman said the new alliance would co-ordinate efforts against extremists in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan.

Saudi Arabia announced the formation of the military coalition earlier on Tuesday.

Saudi officials say that’s exactly what this coalition’s meant to do-state-owned Saudi Press Agency calls it a “coordination with friendly peace-loving nations and global bodies for the sake of supporting worldwide efforts to combat terrorism and to save worldwide peace and security”.

“ISIS has threatened not only Iran and the [Shia]-dominated regimes in Iraq and Syria but even the Sunni-dominated Arab states”.

The alliance will perform the duty to protect the nations from the evils of all armed groups and terrorist organizations – whatever their doctrine or title – which spread killing and corruption in the world and are created to terrorize the innocent, the statement highlighted. Tehran and Riyadh are ranged on opposite sides in proxy conflicts in Syria and Yemen. Middle Eastern, Asian and African states including Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia and Nigeria too, have pledged their allegiance to the coalition.

Last week Saudi Arabia hosted talks between opposition Syrian political and military factions, which agreed to negotiate with President Bashar al-Assad’s government but insisted he step down at the start of any political transition.

Iraq, Iran and Syria are not in the new group, nor is Saudi Arabia’s neighbor Oman.

A Jordanian government spokesman confirmed the Hashemite Kingdom is part of the coalition.

 The military alliance will not be limited to fighting Islamic State, but tackling terrorism more broadly.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu praised the new coalition Tuesday, stating that it is the strongest answer to those trying to link terrorism to Islam.

He offered few concrete indications of how the new coalition’s military efforts might proceed.

Western nations, particularly United States, have welcomed the declaration of the anti-terrorism alliance and promised its full support to defeat the notorious enemies in the region.

“ISIS doesn’t just exist in Syria and Iraq – it has major constituency supporters in nearly all Arab countries, including Saudi, Kuwait, Lebanon and Jordan”.