Saudi King Salman calls for joint fight against terrorism

Cairo : Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud called yesterday for a joint fight against terrorism in the Middle East at a time when Riyadh is engaged in several conflicts in the region. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques is on a rare five-day visit to Egypt, a trip seen as a clear show of support for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. 

The two leaders have already signed a slew of multi-billion-dollar investment deals, and on Saturday Egypt agreed to demarcate its maritime borders with Saudi Arabia by officially placing two islands in the Straits of Tiran in Saudi territory.

“The other mission that we should work on together is the fight against extremism and the fight against terrorism,” King Salman said in an address to the Egyptian parliament broadcast live on State television.

In December, Saudi Arabia announced the creation of an “anti-terrorism” coalition whose members it said would share intelligence, counter violent ideology and deploy troops if necessary to combat extremists. Saudi Arabia is part of the US-led coalition bombing the jihadist Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.  

Riyadh is also leading an Arab coalition, of which Egypt is a member, that has been bombing Iran-backed Huthi Shia rebels in Yemen.

On Saturday, King Salman and Sisi agreed to set up a $16 billion investment fund, and also settled the long-standing maritime dispute. 

Salman announced on Friday a plan to build a bridge over the Red Sea to Egypt, and inked several other agreements. (AFP)