Turkey plans mandate to send military personnel to Saudi Arabia, ruling party official says

​Turkey will submit to parliament ‌a ​mandate allowing for military personnel to be deployed to Saudi Arabia under its joint defence ‌pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, a lawmaker from the ruling AK Party told Reuters on Wednesday.

The lawmaker, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the mandate ‌would be sent to parliament once a bill ratifying the accord has ‌been approved. Turkey submitted the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement — signed by the three countries in August — to parliament for ratification on Tuesday, moving NATO's second-largest army closer to a ⁠formal mutual ​defence pledge ⁠with Riyadh as it faces Houthi attacks.

The AKP lawmaker said that no Turkish troops deployed ⁠to other countries under the pact would take part in offensive operations, adding that ​technical personnel and experts would be sent initially to help with ⁠air defences, electronic warfare technologies, and other defensive support. Earlier, two officials had told Reuters ⁠that ​Turkey's contribution was expected to be limited to military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems, adding that no other form of deployment had ⁠taken place under the alliance so far.

Turkey, which has condemned the Houthi ⁠attacks, has ⁠also agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition to ensure navigational safety in the Red Sea.