Saudi Arabia forms coalition of 34 Islamic countries to fight terrorism

[webfact]

Saudi Arabia forms coalition of 34 Islamic countries to fight terrorism
BY BNO NEWS

RIYADH: -- Saudi Arabia has formed a military coalition of 34 Islamic countries to combat terrorism, the Saudi government announced on early Tuesday morning, but only few details were immediately released.

The Saudi government said the multi-national coalition includes Turkey, Pakistan, Nigeria, Qatar, Egypt, Morocco, Yemen, and Jordan, but other details were not immediately disclosed. Saudi Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud said the alliance will not just confront the Islamic State (ISIS) group, but “any terrorist group in front of us.”

The coalition will operate a joint operations center in the Saudi capital of Riyadh and coordinate with other international bodies to combat terrorism, a statement said. It emphasized human dignity and the rights to life and security, and said the coalition is committed to eliminate terrorism through the use of international legal instruments.

The full list of countries as announced is as follows: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Turkey, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Djibouti, Senegal, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Gabon, Guinea, Palestine, Comoros, Qatar, Ivory Coast, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, the Maldives, Mali, Malaysia, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Yemen.

Full story: http://ethailand.com/breaking-news/saudi-arabia-forms-coalition-of-34-islamic-countries-to-fight-terrorism/754/

-- eThailand 2015-12-15

[Somtamnication]

Already then. Everyone will shoot at each other.

[canuckamuck]

Hilarious

[zaphod reborn]

The Saudis, like the US and UK, profiting by playing both sides of the terrorism war.

[shirtless]

What a joke , I would really like to see where radicals get their funding Saudi Arabia

[webfact]

Saudi Arabia forms Islamic counterterrorism coalition
AYA BATRAWY, Associated Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — 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.

The announcement published by the state-run Saudi Press Agency said the alliance will be Saudi-led and is being established because terrorism "should be fought by all means and collaboration should be made to eliminate it." The statement said Islam forbids "corruption and destruction in the world" and that terrorism constitutes "a serious violation of human dignity and rights, especially the right to life and the right to security."

The new counterterrorism coalition includes nations with large and established armies such as Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt as well as war-torn countries with embattled militaries such as Libya and Yemen. African nations that have suffered terrorist attacks such as Mali, Chad, Somalia and Nigeria are also members.

Saudi Arabia's regional rival, Shiite Iran, is not part of the coalition. Saudi Arabia and Iran support opposite sides of in the wars raging in Syria and Yemen. Saudi Arabia is currently leading a military intervention in Yemen against Shiite Houthi rebels and is part of the U.S.-led coalition bombing the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

At a rare news conference, Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman said the new Islamic military coalition will work to counter the Sunni extremist Islamic State group and develop mechanisms for working with other countries and international bodies to support international counterterrorism efforts.

"Currently, every Muslim country is fighting terrorism individually ... so coordinating efforts is very important," he said.

He said the joint operations center will be established in Riyadh to "coordinate and support military operations to fight terrorism" across the Muslim world.

Smaller member-states included in the coalition are the archipelago of the Maldives and the island-nation of Bahrain. Other Gulf Arab countries such as Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are also in the coalition, though notably absent from the list is Saudi Arabia's neighbor Oman. But Iraq and Syria whose forces are battling to regain territory taken by the Islamic State group and whose governments are allied with Iran are not in the coalition.

Benin, while it does not have a majority Muslim population, is also a member of this new counterterrorism coalition. All the group's members are also part of the larger Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which is headquartered in Saudi Arabia.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-12-15

[erobando]

It will be interesting to see what groups the Saudi-led group identifies as terrorists?

My guess the criteria will be:

1) Is the group fighting against Iran? If yes, then this is not a terrorist organization.

2) Is the group allied with Iran? If yes, then this is a terrorist organization.

[streboris]

Propaganda trying to initiate attaks on Iran...

"Saudi Arabia's regional rival, Shiite Iran, is not part of the coalition. Saudi Arabia and Iran support opposite sides of in the wars raging in Syria and Yemen."

This implies that Iran support terrorists and Islamic state, but they are actually in support of the Syrian government which is fighting various rebel factions trained by the US.

Iran is Shiite. Shia is a more relaxed version of islam, which is why they are hated by the more hardline Sunni...

Islamic State are extreme Sunni.

Saudi is Sunni.

That said, I do think sunni extremism is very harmful to the changes and developments that are happening in Saudi. Saudi funding of IS would be bad for Saudi. US has more to gain by funding IS

Edited December 15, 2015 by streboris

[Thorgal]

Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Indonesia, and Algeria are missing...

Edited December 15, 2015 by Thorgal

[keeniau96]

Notable absence of Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim population.

[Steely Dan]

Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Indonesia, and Algeria are missing...

Iran are on the list to be removed along with ISIS.

[Grouse]

Saudi Arabia is, without doubt, the most evil country on the planet. ALL ties with them should be severed. I don't care how much they invest in military toys

[Chicog]

The Saudis, like the US and UK, profiting by playing both sides of the terrorism war.

And they profit how exactly?

[lonewolf99]

Poachers become gamekeepers....... I doubt it !

[car720]

I think the sooner the yanks get into bed with Iran the better.

This has all the earmarks of a super Jihad.

Interesting that Turkey is on the list. Right in the middle.

I have never trusted them and I have never met one that wasn't totally insane.

[BuaBS]

A lot of heads will roll. They are good at it.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-12-12/isis-simply-saudi-army-disguise

[OMGImInPattaya]

So when do they start bombing Riyadh?

[55Jay]

This ought to be interesting.

[bark]

Saudi Arabia is, without doubt, the most evil country on the planet. ALL ties with them should be severed. I don't care how much they invest in military toys

Most Evil ? No ! But they would make the David Letterman's, Top Ten List for sure.

[Credo]

This will add new meaning to the phrase, 'one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.'

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

The arctic and the antarctic have just joined forces to combat snowfall and cold weather. Will be just as effective as these sponsors of terror will be.

Maybe more so with global warming and all.

Edited December 15, 2015 by ALLSEEINGEYE

[webfact]

Saudi Arabia’s anti-terrorism coalition: the details



"Very strong efforts are needed to combat terrorism"

34 countries form an Islamic military coalition to combat terrorism
Alliance will be led by Saudi Arabia
Arch-rival Iran not involved

The story

Saudi Arabia has announced the creation of a 34-state majority Islamic coalition to fight international terrorism.

A joint operations centre is being set up in the capital, Riyadh.

The justification

The Saudi government’s announcement cites “a duty to protect the Islamic nation from the evils of all terrorist groups and organisations, whatever their sect and name, which wreak death and corruption on Earth and aim to terrorise the innocent.”

The details

Saudi Defence Minister Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told reporters the alliance will coordinate the combat against extremists.

However, few concrete details of the arrangement were given.

“Today, there are a number of countries that suffer from terrorism, for example Daesh in Syria and Iraq;terrorism in Sinai; terrorism in Yemen; terrorism in Libya; terrorism in Mali; terrorism in Nigeria; terrorism in Pakistan; terrorism in Afghanistan. This requires a very strong effort to fight. Without a doubt, there will be coordination in these efforts.”

Is Saudi Arabia involved in other alliances?

Yes.

Riyadh is part of the US-led coalition against ISIL.

It also has a leading role in the military intervention against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Are any Islamic countries not involved?
Shi’ite Muslim Iran, Sunni Saudi Arabia’s arch rival for influence in the Arab world, is not on the list of countries involved.

The two countries are involved in proxy conflicts including Syria and neighbouring Yemen.

Why now?

For nine months, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab neighbours have been locked in conflict with Iran-allied rebels in Yemen. A ceasefire is due to start there on Tuesday, alongside UN-sponsored peace talks.

Insiders say Riyadh’s announcement may signal a desire to shift its attention back towards the conflicts north of its borders.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-12-15

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

The biggest state sponsors of terrorism are going to fight terrorists. 555

[Krataiboy]

Sickening hypocrisy from the US's most brutal proxy state and fount of the Islamic extremism now turning the Levant into one big bloodbath.

[55Jay]

Along the lines of a Year in Summary compilation often shown on 31DEC, imagine all these events compiled like an Al Gore climate change movie, and played in quick time by some future civilization or species to sum up the history of humans on Earth. Guess it boils down to religion and oil, probably water and food at some point, culminating in the final, still photograph of the human story slideshow.

Edited December 15, 2015 by 55Jay

[uptheos]

Sounds like they've found the board game 'Risk'

[wabothai]

Good, we can go home now.

[Steely Dan]

The clues are there for anyone who cares to look. Israel are already de-facto allies to the gulf states. I firmly believe special forces from several European nations are already involved in combat operations to destroy ISIS. The announcement is merely confirming the time has come to eradicate the ISIS vermin, I will shed no tears if not one of them comes out alive.

The Iranian terrorist regime will also be topped at the same time IMHO, that will be necessary to quell public unrest in Sunni states concerning the removal of ISIS.

[F4UCorsair]

Saudi emphasized dignity, the right to life and security.......I'm choking on my falafel.

[Ulic]

Is this so they can lead the investigation away from themselves? They don't really think they

can really fool anyone, do they ?