Syria has no forces in Yemen and no near-term plan to send them there, Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani said, while separate reports described Syrian military personnel in Saudi Arabia.
At a Nov. 9 joint news conference in Damascus with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, al-Shaibani said the Saudi arrangement was intended to help rebuild Syria’s armed forces. He said there was no pact with Yemen for a Syrian deployment and that Damascus would disclose any future decision to send forces abroad.
The remarks continue EconoTimes’ earlier coverage of Syria’s denial as deployment claims emerged.
Saudi Press Agency reported that the two governments signed a defense-ministry cooperation agreement during Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s Nov. 4 visit to the kingdom.
Reuters reported Nov. 6, citing two Syrian military sources and a senior U.S. official, that a limited number of Syrian personnel had traveled to Saudi Arabia for advisory and training work. Its account described a small group already in the kingdom; a later Associated Press report concerned a much larger force that was still expected.
The Associated Press reported Nov. 8, citing three officials familiar with the plans, that about 600 Syrian special forces fighters were expected to deploy to Saudi Arabia over the following week. AP said advisers were already in the kingdom and no Syrian fighters had entered Yemen. It also reported that the planned force could be positioned along the Saudi-Yemeni border and might support operations against the Houthis. Saudi officials had not immediately responded to AP’s request for comment.
Al-Shaibani also expressed support for Yemen’s recognized authorities and denounced Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia.
A Syrian diplomatic source told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on Nov. 7 that the cooperation would include military instruction, shared expertise and consultations. The source said coordination visits from Saudi Arabia to Syria were expected to begin in December 2026.
