Islamic Military Alliance

For historical Muslim armies, see early Muslim conquests.

Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism (IMAFT)

التحالف الإسلامي العسكري لمحاربة الإرهاب
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250px Map depicting IMAFT members
Formation	15 December 2015
Founder	Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud
Type	Military Alliance
Headquarters	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Location	Africa South Asia Middle East
Membership	Contributing Nations: Bahrain Bangladesh Benin Chad Comoros Cote d'Ivoire Djibouti Egypt Gabon Guinea Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Malaysia Maldives Mali Mauritania Morocco Niger Nigeria Pakistan Palestine Qatar Saudi Arabia Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia Sudan Togo Tunisia Turkey United Arab Emirates Yemen

The Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism (IMAFT) (Arabic: التحالف الإسلامي العسكري لمحاربة الإرهاب‎‎), alternative translation Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition, is an intergovernmental military alliance of countries in the Muslim world united around military intervention against ISIL and other counter-terrorist activities. When the coaltion was announced there were 34 members; by March 2016 this had risen to 39.

The organization is based at a joint command center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Its creation was first announced by Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Defense, on December 15, 2015.

Objectives

The alliance has stated that its primary objective is to protect the Muslim countries from all terrorist groups and terrorist organizations irrespective of their sect and name.

The coalition has stated that it will fight terrorists in "Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan".

The alliance has reaffirmed that it would operate in line with the United Nations and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) provisions on terrorism.

The new coalition is expected to deploy military forces into Syria to fight ISIS.

Members

Listed below are countries that are included as members. Thirty-four countries were announced in the military alliance, each also part of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and forming about 60% of all OIC member states. Although included, some countries have opted not to assist militarily while others are in ongoing discussions on whether to join the alliance or not.

Country	Military role	Supporter	Reference(s)
Bahrain	Yes	Yes
Bangladesh	Yes	Yes
Benin	Included	N/A
Chad	Included	N/A
Comoros	Included	N/A
Cote d'Ivoire	Included	N/A
Djibouti	Included	N/A
Egypt	Included	Yes
Gabon	Included	N/A
Guinea	Included	N/A
Jordan	Included	Yes
Kuwait	Included	N/A
Lebanon	Included	N/A
Libya	Yes	Yes
Malaysia	No	Yes
Maldives	Included	N/A
Mali	Included	N/A
Mauritania	Included	N/A
Morocco	Included	N/A
Niger	Included	N/A
Nigeria	Yes	Yes
Pakistan	Yes	Yes
Palestine	Included	N/A
Qatar	Included	N/A
Saudi Arabia	Yes	Yes
Senegal	Included	N/A
Sierra Leone	Included	N/A
Somalia	Included	N/A
Sudan	Included	N/A
Togo	Included	N/A
Tunisia	Included	N/A
Turkey	Yes	Yes
United Arab Emirates	Yes	Yes
Yemen	Included	N/A

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

Additional Possible members

More than ten other Islamic countries, including Indonesia (world's largest Muslim nation), have expressed their support for the alliance, and Azerbaijan is discussing joining the alliance. Saudi Arabia has also invited Afghanistan to join its newly formed Islamic military alliance against terrorism. Tajikistan's ambassador to Saudi Arabia confirmed that Tajikistan is seriously studying the possibility of joining the Islamic Coalition to combat terrorism.The following countries have discussed membership, but have not joined the alliance as yet.

Country	Status	Reference(s)
Afghanistan	Pending
Azerbaijan	Pending
Indonesia	Pending
Tajikistan	Pending

Military strength

Nuclear armed Babur cruise missiles

The combined strength of the alliance presents a formidable force. This strength is further bolstered with the inclusion of one nation possessing nuclear weapons, Pakistan.

Another notable member of the alliance is the Turkish Armed Forces. Turkey is a Regional Power which produces Advanced Military platforms such as the Altay (tank), MILGEM project, TAI/Agusta Westland T129, Bayraktar Tactical UAS and the TAI TFX 5th Generation Air superiority fighter. With Turkey's participation and Industrial know how the alliance intends to create inter-polarity and network centricity.

Pakistan air force F-16s at Red Flag military exercise in 2010.

United Arab Emirates consists of seven Emirates & possesses the world's most advanced F-16s namely F-16 E/F Block 60s which are a half-generation ahead of the F-16 C/D Block 50/52+ air crafts that form the backbone of the US Air Force. UAE air force has also been involved in a series of anti terrorists operations in Syria.

Reactions

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.

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

The parliament of Bangladesh raised its concern about not including majority Shia countries in the alliance. The country pledged to remain neutral in all Shia-Sunni conflicts.

Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein expressed support for the alliance, but ruled out any military support from Malaysia.

Egypt's Al-Azhar University called the alliance's formation "historic."

The new alliance has been welcomed by the United States, with 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. [B]ut 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.

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 including Iran and China.

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.