Saudi Arabia says it will host a meeting this week with senior officials from the United States and the Middle East to discuss the threat posed by Islamic State militants.
The September 11 gathering in the Red Sea city of Jeddah is to include U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as well as representatives from Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Gulf Arab states.
The official Saudi Press Agency says the talks will focus on combatting extremist groups that contribute to terrorism in the region.
Washington says Kerry is traveling to Saudi Arabia and neighboring Jordan this week to discuss how to bolster the stability of Iraq’s new government and combat Islamic State militants who have taken over large swaths of Iraq and Syria.
U.S. President Barack Obama is due on September 10 to outline a broader U.S. strategy on battling Islamic State militants.
