Saudi Arabia plans to forge an alliance of 34 countries to fight terrorism.
The report by Saudi Arabia’s state press agency SPA on Monday noted that “collaboration should be made to eliminate (terrorism)”.
The new alliance comes amid an intensified international fightback against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, with Russia joining the fray in recent months.
In a press conference to launch the alliance, Deputy Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman said: “We will fight every terrorist organization, not only the Islamic State.” He noted that each country will participate in the alliance according to its capabilities.
The alliance follows Riyadh’s intervention in the civil war in Yemen against Shia groups, which has been supported by neighbors like Bahrain and the UAE. Its indiscriminate airstrikes have claimed the lives of civilians and destroyed essential infrastructures and homes of innocent people.
The Persian Gulf Arab states, in particular, have faced regular criticism from Washington over their lack of support of the existing US-led coalition against IS, DPA reported.
Once again on Monday, US President Barack Obama singled out America’s Middle East allies to do more to help in the fightback.
The “New York Times” reports that the US wants Arab allies to put together a Syrian Arab force of ground troops willing to take on IS.
Riyadh’s plan will see 34 Muslim-majority nations work together to forge a military response to terrorism. Those countries taking part include Pakistan, Lebanon, Egypt, Malaysia and some Persian Gulf countries.
SPA claimed several Asian and African countries have committed to the project, while Iran is not part of the alliance.
The alliance will have a joint operations center based in the Saudi capital Riyadh, a statement by the grouping said, but few details were disclosed about the coalition’s intended activities.
The statement described the aim as being “to protect nations from the evils of all terrorist groups and organizations ... no matter what their religion and titles are.”
