Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani chiefs plan urgent talks over the conflict in Yemen

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The talks are being held to identify ways to support Saudi Arabia under the recently signed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.

It follows a meeting on Thursday in New York between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The statement did not say when the military chiefs would meet.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Pact on August 7 to strengthen collective deterrence and expand defence co-operation.

The pact includes a provision that an attack on one of the three countries is considered an attack on them all.

The three countries have since begun setting up mechanisms under the pact.

The foreign and defence ministers as well as military chiefs from the three nations met in Istanbul on August 31 for the first meeting of the strategic political and defence committee, agreeing to establish a secretariat in Saudi Arabia and to deepen military co-operation.

Thursday’s foreign ministers’ meeting also condemned attacks targeting Mecca as well as civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia, and it affirmed the kingdom’s right to defend itself under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Yemen’s Houthi-led government has denied carrying out the alleged attacks.

The diplomatic moves came as Saudi Arabia reported a fresh wave of attacks from Yemen.

Saudi Arabia said its air defences had shot down six ballistic missiles launched towards Taif and Yanbu on Thursday.

Major-General Turki al-Malki, the coalition spokesman, said further escalation by Yemen’s Houthi forces would be “dealt with firmly.”

The Houthis separately claimed missile and drone attacks on a “sensitive target” in Riyadh and Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu.