Turkey and Qatar pledge unified stance against attacks in mutual defence pact
11 hours ago
Turkey and Qatar signed a mutual defence agreement Friday, pledging a unified response to any attack on either country, the two leaders said in a joint statement. The defence pact follows the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in August.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan welcomes Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani before their meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, November 13, 2026. © Murat Cetinmuhurdar, Turkish Presidential Press Office via Reuters
Turkey and Qatar signed a mutual defence agreement on Friday aimed at strengthening collective defence and promoting regional security, and pledged a unified stance against any external armed attack targeting either country, according to a joint statement issued after talks between their leaders.
The two sides agreed to consult on threats to their security, as well as regional and global security issues and defence policies, and to expand cooperation through joint military exercises, defence-industry cooperation and personnel training exchanges.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the accord during a meeting in Istanbul with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. Qatar's ruler travelled to Istanbul after attending the United Nations COP31 climate summit in southern Turkey.
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