A coalition of thirty-four
Islamic nations has been formed to fight "any terrorist group"
according to a statement released by Saudi Arabia authorities.
Iran, a mainly Shia Islam
country, was absent from the list and the coalition includes Egypt, Qatar, the
United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Malaysia, Pakistan and several Gulf Arab and
African states make up the coalition, a statement said.
The joint statement
published on state news agency SPA said: "The countries here mentioned
have decided on the formation of a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia to
fight terrorism, with a joint operations centre based in Riyadh to coordinate
and support military operations."
The announcement said there
was "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."
It is Sunni Saudi Arabia's
rival for influence in the Arab world and has been accused of backing one of
the groups involved in fighting in Yemen, a conflict that also involves Saudi
Arabia.
A different Saudi-led
coalition that is supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government said
on Monday night that a planned truce with the country's Shia rebels has been
postponed for 12 hours.
Saudi Arabia's defence
minister said that the coalition will not just confront Islamic State, but
"any terrorist group in front of us".
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