Saudi Arabia Forms Muslim ‘Anti-Terrorism’ Coalition, Nigeria Joins

Saudi Arabia has formed a
coalition of 34 mainly Muslim countries – including powers such as Egypt and
Turkey – to coordinate a fight against “terrorist organisations”.

The alliance was announced by Mohammed
bin Salman, the country’s defence minister and deputy crown prince, on Tuesday.

Arab countries such as Qatar and
the UAE will join the coalition, as well as Middle Eastern, Asian and African
states including Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia and Nigeria.

“It is time that the Islamic
world take a stand, and they have done that by creating a coalition to push
back and confront the terrorists and those who promote their violent
ideologies,” said Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi’s foreign minister, speaking in
Paris.

When asked if the alliance would
deploy troops on the ground, Jubeir said “nothing is off the table”.

Saudi Arabia’s regional rival Iran
and its allies Syria and Iraq were excluded from the alliance, despite the
states sharing a common enemy in the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL) group.

Bin Salman said the states would
work together to target  “any
terrorist organisation, not just ISIL” in countries including Iraq, Syria.
Libya, Egypt, and Afghanistan.

Military operations would work in
accordance with local laws and in cooperation with the international community,
he added.

In an earlier press statement
issued by the Saudi Press Agency, officials said the group would be led by
Saudi Arabia, which would host a “joint operations centre to
coordinate” efforts.