Gen. Raheel Sharif, retired Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Pakistan Army, now leads the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (also known as the Islamic Military Alliance or IMA) as its first Commander-in-Chief.

Dominated by Sunni Muslim countries around the world, IMA has 41 member states and was founded by Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Defense and Deputy Crown Prince, in December 2015.

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IMA is an intergovernmental counter-terrorist alliance of countries with large Muslim populations. Its joint operations center is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Its job is to confront "the Islamic world's problem with terrorism" through all means, including military force. It plans to be a partner "in the worldwide fight against this scourge" said Mohammad bin Salman in 2015.

He also said IMA will coordinate efforts to fight terrorism in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan.

"There will be international coordination with major powers and international organizations ... in terms of operations in Syria and Iraq."

Sharif took over command of the IMA after the Pakistani government agreed to give a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to Sharif's appointment on March 25, said Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif.

Asif said official documentation remains incomplete but the Pakistani government agreed in principle. He noted the government received a written request from the Saudi Arabian government that Sharif head IMA.

Sharif will sign the contract to head IMA in the first week of April. He retired from the Pakistan Army on Nov. 29, 2016 after 40 years of service. He served as COAS from Nov. 29, 2013 to Nov. 29, 2016.

Sharif is expected to put meat on the bones of the IMA; develop the IMA's structure; define its mission and establish and lead its military component.

An advisory board of defense ministers of IMA member countries will meet in May to flesh out details of the organization.

Members of the IMA are Saudi Arabia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Turkey, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Djibouti, Senegal, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Gabon, Guinea, Palestine, Comoros, Qatar, Cote d'Ivoire, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Mali, Malaysia, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Oman, Maldives. 

TagsGen. Raheel Sharif, Chief of Army Staff, Pakistan Army, Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition, Islamic Military Alliance, IMA, Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, Sunni Muslim countries