ARAB countries’ army chiefs of staff agreed a draft protocol for a joint regional intervention force late on Sunday in Cairo.

The joint force is intended to intervene in the Middle East on missions ranging from fighting jihadist to Iran-backed groups.

Any decision to intervene would be based on a request from a member state “facing threats.”

Defence ministers of member states would run the force, with two-thirds of votes required to pass decisions. Military plans on engagements would be up to the member states’ military commanders.

But Qatar and Algeria objected to the force being headquartered in Arab League home Cairo.

US Defence Secretary Ash Carter endorsed the Arab plan while State Department officials claimed that Washington was waiting to see the exact structure and operational mandate of the joint force.