Syria is discussing possible membership of the Makkah defence pact, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said at the Manama Dialogue. Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed the mutual defence arrangement in August. Damascus has announced discussions rather than completed accession, with no public timetable or specific Syrian obligations set out in the announcement.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said discussions were underway about possible membership of the Makkah defence pact. He made the announcement at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain on October 31. The talks concern an existing arrangement among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan. Shaibani described a membership evaluation; he did not announce that Syria had already joined the agreement.[1], [2]
The agreement signed in August treats an attack on one member as an attack on all. Türkiye’s ratification process is continuing. Shaibani said Syria was an integral part of regional security and supported arrangements protecting stability. He called for joint deterrence and defence systems, arguing that Syrian and Gulf security could not be considered separately. Specific Syrian obligations and command arrangements were not announced.[1]
Saudi Arabia has backed President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government since Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December 2024. Shaibani said Damascus was building a national army to protect its borders and interests. He also reiterated support for Yemen’s internationally recognised government and its sovereignty. Turkish officials have ruled out deploying troops to Yemen, while no attacks on the Houthis have been announced by either Türkiye or Pakistan.[1]
