Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition

IMCTC has stated that its primary objective is to protect Muslim countries from all terrorist groups and terrorist organizations irrespective of their sect and name.[9][10][11] The IMCTC affirmed that it would operate in line with the United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) provisions on terrorism.[12]

At the press conference to launch the IMCTC, Mohammad bin Salman said it would "coordinate" efforts to fight terrorism in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan. He said, "There will be international coordination with major powers and international organisations ... in terms of operations in Syria and Iraq."[13]

To date, all members are countries with Sunni-dominated governments. The alliance does not include any countries with Shia-dominated governments, such as Iran, Iraq and Syria.[14] According to a Euronews report, some analysts see formation of the alliance as part of Saudi Arabian efforts to take the leading role in the Middle East and the Muslim world, in rivalry with Iran.[15]

In March 2016 it was reported that Saudi Arabia had asked General Raheel Sharif, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, to become commander-in-chief of the Islamic Military Alliance once he had retired from the Pakistan Army at the end of 2016.[16]

Saudi Arabia's original announcement of the alliance on 15 December 2015 listed 34 countries as participants,[1] each also a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and forming about 60% of all OIC member states. As of November 2017, there are 41 member countries.[17]

Country	Membership announcement	Military roleα	Supporter	References
Afghanistan	18 October 2016	Yes	Yes	[18]
Bahrain	Original	Yes	Yes	[19]
Bangladesh	Original	Yes	Yes	[5][20][21]
Benin	Original	N/A	N/A
Brunei
Burkina Faso
Chad	Original	Yes	Yes
Comoros	Original	N/A	N/A
Cote d'Ivoire	Original	N/A	N/A
Djibouti	Original	N/A	N/A
Egypt	Original	Yes	Yes	[5]
Gabon	Original	N/A	N/A
Gambia
Guinea	Original	N/A	N/A
Guinea-Bissau
Jordan	Original	Yes	Yes	[5]
Kuwait	Original	Yes	Yes
Lebanon	Original	N/A	Yes
Libya	Original	Yes	Yes	[22]
Malaysia	Original	Yes	Yes	[23]
Maldives	Original	Yes	Yes
Mali	Original	N/A	N/A
Mauritania	Original	Yes	Yes
Morocco	Original	Yes	Yes
Niger	Original	Yes	Yes
Nigeria	Original	Yes	Yes	[22]
Oman	28 December 2016	Yes	Yes	[6][24]
Pakistan	Original	Yes	Yes	[25][26][27][28]
Palestine	Original	N/A	N/A
Qatar	Original	N/A	N/A
Saudi Arabia	Original	Yes	Yes	[29][30][13]
Senegal	Original	Yes	N/A
Sierra Leone	Original	N/A	N/A
Somalia	Original	Yes	Yes
Sudan	Original	Yes	Yes
Togo	Original	N/A	N/A
Tunisia	Original	Yes	Yes
Turkey	Original	Yes	Yes	[22]
Uganda
United Arab Emirates	Original	Yes	Yes
Yemen	Original	Yes	Yes

^α These countries have offered to provide military assistance if needed.

State

•  Bangladesh: Bangladesh was one of the early members to join the alliance doing so on 15 December 2015. The country confirmed its membership in a joint statement by the founder nations that stated "a duty to protect the Islamic nation from the evils of all terrorist groups and organizations whatever their sect and name which wreak death and corruption on earth and aim to terrorize the innocent."[40][41][42] However Bangladesh ruled out any military support.[43]

•  China: China has expressed its willingness to cooperate with the alliance to fighting terrorism and appreciated Saudi efforts to create alliance.[44]

•  Egypt: Egypt's Al-Azhar University called the alliance's formation "historic."[45]

•  Germany: Germany's defense minister Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the alliance against terrorism but also stressed that it should be a part of the Vienna process involving all countries fighting against IS like the U.S., Europe, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, but also including Iran and China.[46]

•  Malaysia: Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein expressed support for the alliance, but ruled out any military support from Malaysia.[23]

•  Pakistan: After initial ambiguity Pakistan welcomed the initiative; its government confirmed its participation and stated that the country is waiting for further details in order to decide the extent of its participation in the different activities of the alliance. Although the Commander in Chief of the IMCTC, Gen Raheel Sharif only agreed to command upon the condition that Iran must be the part of this Alliance.[27]

•  Turkey: Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu called it the "best response to those who are trying to associate terror and Islam".

•  United States: The new alliance has been welcomed by the United States, with then U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter saying, "We look forward to learning more about what Saudi Arabia has in mind in terms of this coalition. But in general it appears it is very much in line with something we've been urging for quite some time, which is greater involvement in the campaign to combat ISIL by Sunni Arab countries.[4][13]

Other

• Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order: Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri the leader of the Naqshbandi Army released a statement in 2016 praising the alliance and calling on what he called Mujahideen to fight Shia militias in Iraq backed by Iran, while also saying "We consider everything that is happening in Iraq from Iran, its agents, militias, and its security apparatus, is the responsibility of the United States". He added: "If it [U.S.] did not move to save Iraq and its people from Iran's hegemony, control and occupation, and to stop bloodshed, destruction, burning and the changing demographic, then Iraqi people should resist [the occupation]."[47]

Due to the dominance of the alliance by states having majority Sunni Muslim populations, it has been called "a sectarian coalition" by Hakeem Azameli, a member of the Security and Defense Commission in the Iraqi parliament.[22][15][14]

However, Oman, an Ibadi-dominant country has joined the alliance. Lebanon has also supported the alliance.[48] Other countries who are part of the alliance or support it that have cordial or friendly relations with Iran include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Libya, Pakistan and Indonesia. More likely, the absence of Iran and Iraq from the alliance is due to the political tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran.[49]

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