Riyadh - Saudi Arabia''s defense minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, discussed here today with a US special envoy for military issues efforts in the international offensive against the Islamic State (EI).

The also second heir to the throne and Saudi second deputy prime minister received Brett McGurk in this capital, President Donald Trump's envoy for the global coalition against DAESH (Arab acronym of IS) in Syria and Iraq, and both coincided on the need for closer coordination.

Official sources reported that both officials reviewed the most important events of the Middle East, particularly the fight against the Sunni fundamentalist group and committed themselves to undertake greater efforts to guarantee stability and security in the region.

Last week, Washington sent to the Persian Gulf its Defense Secretary, James Mattes, who advocated strengthening political, military and strategic relations with Riyadh and Doha during meetings with King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the Qatari emir, sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

During the meetings, both parties reviewed bilateral and regional cooperation in the field of defense and against terrorism, besides addressing the stalled peace process between Israel and Palestine, and the crisis and armed conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Libya.