Arabic version: سوريا تؤكد إرسال عسكريين إلى السعودية
According to Al Jazeera, Syria has confirmed that it sent soldiers to Saudi Arabia for training, expertise exchange and military consultations after reports that Damascus was aiding Riyadh in its conflict with Yemen’s Houthis. Syrian officials told The Associated Press that military advisers had already arrived and that 600 special forces were due in the kingdom the following week.
The deployment followed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Riyadh, where security and financial assistance featured prominently in talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi Arabia pledged $403m in loans to help rebuild Syrian infrastructure damaged during 13 years of civil war. Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said defence-ministry cooperation was the most notable agreement, without providing details.
Reports had said Syrian personnel were providing military advice and training in Saudi Arabia after Houthi missile attacks on Saudi cities. A Syrian government official told state news agency SANA that the personnel were not sent in a combat capacity. AFP also reported that Syrians in Yemen were leading drone operations against the Houthis, a claim the Syrian government denied.
Saudi Arabia has led an Arab military coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government since March 2015, after Houthi fighters captured the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014. The kingdom has sought a regional military alliance to counter threats from the Houthis and Iran. The current arrangement could lead to Syria joining the Mecca Defence Alliance, the Syrian official told SANA.
Analysts told Al Jazeera that Syrian involvement could carry greater political value for Riyadh than battlefield impact, while also demonstrating that Syria can share a partner’s security burden. Syria’s combat-experienced forces and drone-warfare expertise could offer Saudi Arabia additional guidance, while Damascus may seek closer ties with a major regional partner.
