Pakistan army is sending a brigade of combat troops to shore up Saudi Arabia’s vulnerable southern border from reprisal attacks mounted by the Houthis in Yemen, Middle East Eye reported citing senior security sources.
The brigade will be based in the south of the Kingdom, but will only be deployed on its border, the sources told Middle East Eye. “It will not be used beyond Saudi borders,” one said.
It is the latest twist in a brutal and devastating two-year war, which has killed more than 10,000 people in Yemen, injured over 40,000 and brought the impoverished nation to the verge of famine.
Both sides have been accused of war crimes and starving civilians trapped in the carnage.
The war was launched by Saudi Arabia and it’s Arab coalition allies after the Houthis overran Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, and the southern port of Aden and ousted the Saudi-backed president, Abd Rabbuh Hadi.
Increasingly, the Houthis have been retaliating with cross-border missile strikes on targets deep inside the kingdom.
The deployment of the Pakistani brigade follows a visit by General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Pakistani chief of army staff (COAS), to Saudi Arabia on a three-day official visit in December last year.
#COAS also met Chief of General Staff of Saudi Forces Gen AbdurRehman bin Saleh Al Bunyan.Both agreed to boost mil coop and collaboration-6 pic.twitter.com/xGMfMF3K2X
— Gen Asim Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) December 18, 2016
“COAS reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the security and protection of the Holy Mosques and also the territorial integrity of the kingdom,” the Pakistani army said in a statement.
“Later, General Qamar Javed Bajwa met the Chief of general staff of Saudi Forces, General Abdul Rehman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, to discuss military to military relations, defence cooperation and regional security situation.
“Both leaders agreed to boost military cooperation and collaboration.”
The area of deployment for the Pakistani brigade is politically sensitive in Islamabad, because two years ago the parliament rejected a request by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman for Pakistan to join a “Sunni” coalition to fight the Houthis.
The Houthis, whose tribesmen mostly follow Zaidism, a variant of Shia Islam practised by a minority in northern Yemen, are backed by Iran, although the level of direct support provided by Tehran is disputed.
Parliament debated the deployment for four days, a debate dominated by the fears of further stoking sectarian violence in Pakistan where 20 percent of the population is Shia.
Courtesy: The Middle East Eye
This news is most intriguing as no other paper has mentioned this huge foreign policy deviation. What are we upto?
This not a right move, 25 countries collation can not protect Saudis against Yemen. Why should Pakistani army protect these Saudis.
It is our duty as we are part of the ummah. We must help muslim brothers at all times. It is negative of you to question. It appears that you are not a genuine follower of Islam.
It appears you are not a genuine Muslim to make such idiotic claims are Yemenis not Muslims ?Your wahabism islam seems very selective on who is Muslim and who is not
Good decision as per the aspirations of pakistani nation. We as muslims are fully indebted to the defence of holy land and it’s defence is prestige and honour for our armed forces in particular and our public in general.
You first defend yourself.
Good decision as per the aspirations of pakistani nation. We as muslims are fully indebted to the holy land and it’s defence is prestige and honour for our armed forces in particular and our public in general.
As a citizen of Yemen, I say
the reasons given to send troops to defend the holy cites of Islam is deplorable.
we the people of Yemen are Muslims we have defended Islam throughout the entire Islamic history.
in no way shape or form the holy cites of Islam are in danger of us.
fact the Pakistani soldiers will be sent as missionaries and they will die in vain and will go to hell.
the Pakistani are will defend the holy cites from those who testified the prophet Muhammad pbuh for them???
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:
(The Prophet) said, “O Allah! Bless our Sham (Syria and some other countries) and our Yemen.” People said, “Our Najd as well.” The Prophet again said, “O Allah! Bless our Sham and Yemen.” They said again, “Our Najd as well.” On that the Prophet said, “There will appear earthquakes and afflictions, and from there will come out the side of the head of Satan.”
Narrated ‘Uqba bin ‘Umar and Abu Mas’ud:
Allah’s Apostle pointed with his hand towards Yemen and said, “True Belief (Eeman) is Yemenite yonder (i.e. the Yemenite, had True Belief and embraced Islam readily), but sternness and mercilessness are the qualities of those who are busy with their camels and pay no attention to the Religion where the two sides of the head of Satan will appear. Such qualities belong to the tribe of Rabi’a and Mudar.”
~Saheeh Al-Bukhaari, The Book of the Beginning of Creation, Hadeeth No. 3079
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