Saudi crown prince opens Islamic military alliance meeting

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Saudi Arabia's crown prince has opened the first high-level meeting of a kingdom-led alliance of Muslim nations against terrorism.

Mohammed bin Salman spoke briefly at the gathering of the Islamic Military Counterterrorism Alliance in Riyadh on Sunday. The 32-year-old son of King Salman says the coalition won't allow extremists "to tarnish the name of our religion."

He says the members have gathered to pledge to do "all that we can until terrorism is uprooted and is erased from the face of the Earth."

The alliance, which first formed in December 2015 with 34 nations, now includes 41 countries, though it apparently does not include Iraq, Iran or Syria.

Also not attending were any officials from Qatar. Saudi Arabia and three other Arab nations cut ties to Doha in June.