Türkiye

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed on 7 August 2026 in Mecca, by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, establishes a collective defence arrangement under which an armed attack against any one of the three states is to be regarded as an attack against all three. This is a historic step, and the agreement is a landmark event, that will change the future of the wider Middle East. Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan are different countries with many particular features. But there is enough common ground between them to make the new situation created by the Mecca Defence Agreement significant, and their efforts credible. They are also complimentary in terms of what they can bring to the process that they are about to start.Pakistan and Turkiye have large and developed standing armiies; Pakistan has nuclear weapons; Turkiye has a dynamic and expanding arms industry; Saudi Arabia has financial resources, and extensive diplomatic kudos in the Islamic world and beyond. The official statement announcing the new agreement said: “Guided by the longstanding historical ties among the three states, based on the enduring bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity that unite them, and building upon their shared strategic interests and longstanding defense cooperation, HRH the Crown Prince, the President of Türkiye, and the Prime Minister of Pakistan signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, reflecting the three states' shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future. The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all. It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defense cooperation among the three states”. Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said that the pact would function similar to NATO, with a minister's committee, political and military committees, and a permanent secretariat to oversee the implementation of decisions. The permanent general secretariat is expected to be based in Saudi Arabia.

Ten years ago, parts of the Turkish military attempted to overthrow the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The consequences of the failed coup continue to shape Turkiye to this day.  It was the evening of July 15, 2016. A warm summer day was coming to an end. Many people were spending their Friday evening with friends or family, looking forward to the weekend. There was nothing to suggest that Turkiye was about to be fundamentally transformed. Then, just a few hours later, tanks were rolling through the streets. Fighter jets flying over Ankara and Istanbul. Soldiers blocking the Bosphorus Bridge, the link between Europe and Asia. The parliament in Ankara came under fire. Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan called on the public via a video call broadcast to take to the streets and stop the coup. The coup attempt failed that very night, but its political consequences continue to impact the country The Turkish government blamed the Gulen movement for the coup attempt. Its founder, the Muslim cleric Fetullah Gulen was based in the United States. The government accused Gulen of having infiltrated the judiciary, police, military, and other state institutions with followers over decades in an effort to undermine the state. Gulen and his followers denied any involvement in the coup. Many high-ranking military officials with alleged ties to Gulen were arrested.. Gulen died in the US aged 83 in the US in 2024. In Turkey, July 15 is now a national holiday. The former Bosphorus Bridge was renamed the "Bridge of the Martyrs of July 15." It commemorates the people who lost their lives that night. According to official figures, 253 people died, most of them civilians. Many streets, squares and schools also bear the name "July 15". However, the anniversary is not just about commemorating the victims. It also marks a profound political turning point. The Gulen movement was designated a terrorist organization, and its alleged supporters were largely extracted from the state apparatus. Six days after the coup, parliament approved a state of emergency. It was initially limited to three months but did not end until July 19, 2018. During those two years, the president governed largely by emergency decrees, issuing 32 decrees in total. The consequences of these political purges have been enormous. More than 125,000 members of the civil service and the armed forces were dismissed. According to official figures, approximately 390,000 people had been detained or arrested between 2016 and 2025 on suspicion of ties to Gulen.