Pakistan vows to defend ally Saudi 'to any extent'

Pakistan vows to defend ally Saudi 'to any extent'

Pakistan's military spokesman said his country will "go to any extent" to defend ally Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom comes under increased attack from Yemen's Houthi forces.

Houthi forces this week reported fresh Saudi air strikes, as Riyadh accused the group of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Islam's holy city of Mecca, prompting a wave of outrage from around the Muslim world.

In an interview Thursday with Arab News, Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said his country would back Saudi Arabia "both diplomatically and physically".

"We will go to any extent for the security of (the two holy sanctuaries) and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," he said.