Pakistan vows to defend ally Saudi 'to any extent'

Pakistan's military spokesman said his country will "go to any extent" to defend ally Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom comes under increased attack from Yemen's Houthi forces.

Houthi forces this week reported fresh Saudi airstrikes, as Riyadh accused the group of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Islam's holy city of Makkah, prompting a wave of outrage from around the Muslim world.

In an interview on Thursday with Arab News, Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said his country would back Saudi Arabia "both diplomatically and physically."

"We will go to any extent for the security of (the two holy sanctuaries) and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," he said.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey last month signed the so-called Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, committing the three countries to mutual defence in the event of any of them being attacked.

The pact came against a backdrop of war between the United States and Iran and attacks in the region from Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.

"Pakistan fully stands with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, both diplomatically and physically," Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told Arab News in an interview on Thursday.

Agence France-Presse