CAIRO: Saudi Arabia confirmed late on Saturday it would send aircraft to Nato-member Turkey's Incirlik air base for the fight against the militant Islamic State (IS) group.
Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri told pan-Arab Al Arabiya television that the kingdom was committed to stepping up the fighting against IS and that the move was part of those efforts.
Saudi Arabia has resumed its participation in air strikes against IS in recent weeks and United States Defence Secretary Ash Carter on Thursday welcomed its commitment to expand its role.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the Yeni Safak newspaper on Saturday that Saudi had carried out inspections at the air base in preparation to sending aircraft.
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Comments (24) Closed
Umar Aftab
Feb 14, 2016 12:09pm
This is the right thing to do. Pakistan needs to step up and support its long-term strategic partners Turkey and KSA.
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Khan
Feb 14, 2016 12:24pm
Pakistan should convince, cooperate and work with both Iran and Saudi Arabia to find a sustainable solution. Siding with one of the countries will make things worse. We should stand by people of Syria and try to find a political solution.
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frozen
Feb 14, 2016 12:47pm
@Umar Aftab
long term strategic partners - lols!
Sorry bro this was funny :)
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khanm
Feb 14, 2016 12:48pm
If the money that is spent on peace would be more everlasting than wars... it infest the minds for centuries.... War does not determine who is right - only who is left.
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Sunil
Feb 14, 2016 01:39pm
Can a country afford two wars at a time, one with Houthi rebels of Yemen, now heading to fight the ISIS.
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Riazullah Baig
Feb 14, 2016 02:04pm
So be it and you will see beginning of the end!
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Saqib Mirza
Feb 14, 2016 02:26pm
@khanm awesome comment Brother
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Arif Nayani
Feb 14, 2016 02:30pm
Saudi rulers are one of the dumbest and the most arrogant species left in this world and now are trying to hasten their extinction themselves by this adventure..
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Psychedelic
Feb 14, 2016 03:11pm
One created the monster. The other fed it by buying its cheap oil. Maybe they took inspiration from our strategy of creating "strategic assets"
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teuvo
Feb 14, 2016 03:47pm
let saudis try their luck..and fight on their own...instead of asking help from other countries...its time to do their job...lets c..and gudluck to saudis..
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ASHFAQ
Feb 14, 2016 03:56pm
Ability versus capacity, a BIG question mark?
Seeing DAESH at its last breath, KSA and Turkey trying to save, its late dears
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wanghai
Feb 14, 2016 04:09pm
keep making syria training ground for your military training. However it would be great step if you are committed to destroy IS
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Khwarezmi
Feb 14, 2016 04:47pm
Saudi-Arabia has a strange foreign policy. It support anti-Damascus forces and will now bomb ISIS positions too. You can not have it both ways. Syria is going to explode in their faces. Pakistan should keep a safe distance to this whole mess and focus of winning the war against RAW backed TTP.
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zaheer
Feb 14, 2016 07:34pm
This is the best news i have heard in years from saudis, they will get their own medicine soon
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Yes Man
Feb 14, 2016 07:50pm
@Umar Aftab Pakistan should take leadership role by inviting OIC conference to resolve syrian conflict to save lives of starving and suffering refugees. Where is OIC. If OIC cannot play its role than it should be scrapped.
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XPakistani
Feb 14, 2016 08:44pm
Pakistan should never cooperate with Saudis, these guys have never sided with Pakistan sincerely, lip service does not constitute support. Now it is their turn, let them suffer. However, if there are peace negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Pakistan must try their best for a rapprochement between them.
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A Pakistani
Feb 14, 2016 09:25pm
I can only pity them. They actually have NO say in the matter and are doing exactly what they are being instructed to do by the self-appointed "Master of the World."
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Abbas Naqvi
Feb 14, 2016 09:26pm
Saudi and Turkish military involvement in Syria is likely to deepen the crisis at a time when world powers Munich agreement has called for cessation of hostilities and moving towards a ceasefire. Syrian conflict has no military solution. It can only be settled through political Dialogue. The Geneva peace talks on Syria should be given a chance. Already caught in the Yemen quagmire, Saudis military adventure in Syria can backfire and prove costly. Given its friendly relations with Riyadh, Ankara and Tehran, Islamabad can certainly play a positive role in deescalating tensions in the region.
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Divergence
Feb 14, 2016 09:39pm
Saudis or gulf leaders can't solve Muslim's problems, guaranteed.
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ali
Feb 14, 2016 10:10pm
@Umar Aftab - Pakistan should not repeat not get involved in any foreign conflicts. We are still suffering from our involvement in Afghanistan. Pakistan should play the role of peace maker between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
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Roshan Khan
Feb 14, 2016 11:42pm
@Sunil The beginning of the end; slowly but surely, the well trained Soviet era Mujahaddins turned into Al_Queda, that breeds Talibban and TTP - that witchBrew plus disbanded BAth party of Saddam Husain is defunct army is ISS - what not: these different groups will not dissolve like soda or disappear into thin air: they will create Havoc beyond imagination with disintegrated parts of Iraq, Saudi Arabia and fracture beyond repair Turkey - Iran, Yamen and immediate impact on Russia : thus oil and gas supplies to the world - if we live longer: in our life time we see: 1979 USSR invasion , 1989 retreat and defeat, 1990 USSR gone, Gulf war followed, 2001 happened - two long wars in Iraq n Afg, not yet over come and now two fronts: Syria and Yemen, ops Saudi borders are engulf in flames - no end in sight - peace is an illusion
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ali ansari
Feb 15, 2016 03:50am
another scheme of arms dealers to sell arms and attempt to crash Saudi economy
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Maher USA
Feb 15, 2016 05:27am
Safe play... no boots, no ground war..
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Parvaiz
Feb 15, 2016 11:46am
@ali
Agree. Bring peace to the world. End these conflicts which will help no one.
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