ANKARA, — Türkiye is preparing to submit the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to parliament for ratification, a step that would provide the legal basis for a possible deployment of Turkish military personnel to Saudi Arabia under the three-country defense arrangement.
Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman Ömer Çelik said on Wednesday that preparations for submitting the agreement to parliament were at an advanced stage and that it was expected to be sent to lawmakers within the next few days.
The move comes after Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan agreed this week to activate their collective defense commitments following a series of attacks on Saudi targets claimed by Yemen's Houthi movement.
Makkah defense agreement
The agreement was signed on August 7, 2026, in Makkah by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
According to official statements from the three countries, the agreement is designed to strengthen collective deterrence and states that an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all three. It also provides for broader defense cooperation among the countries.
The agreement was concluded during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah.
Türkiye prepares parliamentary submission
Çelik said the Turkish Foreign Ministry had largely completed the necessary preparations and that the agreement would be submitted to parliament shortly.
Ratification is important because the deployment of Turkish forces abroad requires parliamentary authorization under Türkiye's legal framework. The timing and scope of any deployment will therefore depend on the parliamentary process and subsequent decisions.
Turkish officials have also emphasized that the agreement is defensive in nature. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that if one member of the agreement is attacked, the other members would support its defense, while the pact does not provide authorization to use another country's territory for offensive operations.
Agreement activated after Saudi attacks
The parliamentary move follows an emergency meeting of the alliance's Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Riyadh on October 5.
During the meeting, Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agreed to begin implementing their collective defense commitments and to provide the military forces and capabilities required under the agreement, subject to each country's national laws.
The decision came after attacks claimed by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities reported attacks on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 6 and 7. The attacks killed three people and injured 36 others, according to Saudi civil aviation authorities.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying they had targeted Saudi locations with missiles and drones. Saudi-led forces subsequently carried out strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
Possible Turkish support to Saudi Arabia
Current reporting indicates that Türkiye's contribution is expected to focus primarily on defensive and technical support inside Saudi Arabia, rather than Turkish forces conducting combat operations in Yemen. Reuters reported that Turkish support could include defensive capabilities and technical personnel.
Turkish officials have also stressed that the country's role under the Makkah agreement is intended to support Saudi Arabia's defense and deterrence.
The exact number of Turkish personnel, equipment to be deployed and timing of any deployment have not been officially finalized.
Türkiye's parliamentary approval of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement would therefore be a key step before any larger Turkish military deployment to Saudi Arabia can proceed.
The agreement's implementation will continue to depend on the decisions of the Turkish parliament and coordination between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
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