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Riyadh forms Islamic alliance to combat terrorism

According to state media reports, the coalition will form a joint operations centre in the country’s capital Riyadh.

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The new coalition contains countries with proven and big armies for example Egypt, Bulgaria and Pakistan in addition to war torn nations with militaries for example Libya.

“Terrorism and its atrocities – which spread Shari’a-forbidden corruption and destruction in the world – constitute a serious violation of human dignity and rights, especially the right to life and the right to security, and subject the interests of countries and communities to danger and threaten their stability”, he added.

Defence minister Mohammed bin Salman said the group would fight terrorists in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan.

Asked if the new alliance would focus just on ISIL, he said it would confront not only that group but “any terrorist organisation that appears in front of us”.

The United States has called on Gulf Arab states to step up their efforts to fight Islamic State (IS) militants that control areas of Iraq and Syria.

The alliance includes countries such as Qatar, the UAE, Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia and Nigeria, but excludes Saudi Arabia’s regional rival Iran and its allies Iraq and Syria.

“If this coalition allows its participants to put aside the foreign political strife, largely caused by ideological differences, it may be useful in the context of the fight against terrorism”, the Federation Council official wrote on his Facebook page.

On 11 December, Amnesty International reported that Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces in Yemen, have carried out a series of air strikes targeting schools that were still in use.

‘Currently, every Muslim country is fighting terrorism individually…so coordinating efforts is very important, ‘ the Saudi Deputy Crown Prince said.

Smaller associate-states contained in the coalition would be the Maldives and also the island’s chain of Bahrain. Other Gulf Arab and African states were also mentioned in the list.

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In March the kingdom formed an Arab coalition of about a dozen countries to support the government of Yemen against Iran-backed Huthi rebels and their allies, who seized much of the country. All of the teamis people will also be part of Islamic Assistance, that will be based in Saudi Arabia of the bigger Business.

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