Turkey May Establish Military Base in Saudi Arabia

According to the Turkish newspaper Türkiye, Ankara is expected to send a limited military contingent and equipment to Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks.

Turkey has maintained more than 200 military specialists and technical personnel in the country since 2025, along with air defence and electronic warfare systems. Their mission is to protect key infrastructure facilities.

The newspaper reports that on October 5, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey agreed in Riyadh to begin implementing joint defence commitments and the deployment of military forces.

Under the arrangement, Turkey’s short- and medium-range air defence systems are expected to protect four strategically important gas and electricity facilities in Saudi Arabia.

The deployment of an additional Turkish contingent requires approval from the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. A vote is expected to take place in October.

According to open-source information, Turkey currently has military bases or facilities in around 12 countries. Its largest military presence is in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, where more than 30,000 personnel are reportedly stationed. Turkey also maintains military facilities in Qatar, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Libya and other countries.