The SPA state news agency said 10 other “Islamic countries” had expressed support, including Indonesia.
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The list of 34 members: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Chad, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, Guinea, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Palestinians, Qatar, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Saudi Arabia’s archrival for influence in the Arab world – was absent from the states named as participants, as proxy conflicts between the two regional powers rage from Syria to Yemen.
The announcement cited “a duty to protect the Islamic nation from the evils of all terrorist groups and organizations whatever their sect and name which wreak death and corruption on earth and aim to terrorize the innocent”.
Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that 34 nations have agreed to form a new “Islamic military alliance” to fight terrorism with a joint operations center based in the kingdom’s capital, Riyadh.
He added that the establishment of such a coalition is “a step in the right direction”.
“The Saudi Arabia-led coalition launched a series of unlawful air strikes on schools being used for educational – not for military – purposes, a flagrant violation of the laws of war”, said Lama Fakih, Senior Crisis Advisor at Amnesty International who recently returned from Yemen.
As terrorism grips the world the United States always have been outspoken about its feeling of Gulf Arab states doing more about strengthening military campaigns to combat ISIS. There shall be an operations room in Riyadh for the coordination and support of efforts to fight terrorism in many parts of the Islamic world.
“We can’t undertake these operations without coordinating with legitimacy in this place and the global community”.
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”.
Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria are not in the coalition.
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Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Crown Prince, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense confirmed that the announcement of the formation of an Islamic military alliance to fight terrorism emanates from the Islamic world’s keenness to fight this disease and be a partner of the world, as a group of countries, in the fight against this disease.
