Turkey plans to seek parliament's approval to send military personnel to Saudi Arabia, ruling party lawmaker tells Reuters

As of 6:11 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026

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

The lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the mandate would be sent to parliament once a bill ratifying the accord has been approved, Reuters reported.

"Defensive support"

No Turkish troops deployed to other countries under the pact would take part in offensive operations, the lawmaker said, according to Reuters. Technical personnel and experts would be sent initially to help with air defenses, electronic warfare technologies and other defensive support, the lawmaker said.

Two officials had earlier told Reuters that Turkey's contribution was expected to be limited to military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems, and that no other form of deployment had taken place under the alliance so far, Reuters reported.

The pact before parliament

Turkey submitted the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed by the three countries in August, to parliament for ratification on Tuesday, Reuters reported. Reuters said the step moves NATO's second-largest army closer to a formal mutual defense pledge with Riyadh as the kingdom faces Houthi attacks.

A news item on the Turkish parliament's website says the three-article bill approving the agreement has been referred to parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee and will go on the General Assembly's agenda once the committee approves it.

The bill's explanatory memorandum, as quoted by parliament, says the agreement was signed in Mecca on Aug. 7, 2026, and that the parties commit to support one another with measures they deem appropriate, including the deployment of military means and capabilities, within each party's constitutional obligations, national legislation and the decisions of its authorities. The memorandum says the pact's collective defense provision does not apply automatically and depends on decisions reached by consensus after consultations, and that the agreement does not affect Turkey's rights and obligations within NATO.

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

What is not known

Reuters' report did not say how many personnel could be sent, when the mandate would be submitted or when parliament could vote on the pact. It cited no on-the-record comment from the Turkish government, and no Saudi response was reported.