Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia received scores of Syrian military personnel in recent weeks for advisory and training duties as Riyadh faces attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.
A senior U.S. official said the support was intended to raise the effectiveness of Saudi and Yemeni forces. Reuters also cited two Syrian military sources, who described the personnel’s role as advising and training but said their remit might extend further.
Saudi Arabia and Syria signed a defense cooperation agreement Nov. 4 during Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Riyadh. A senior Syrian diplomat said the accord covers military advice, training and sharing expertise, but said it was premature to suggest a deployment had taken place. Reuters reported that no operational details were announced.
A senior Saudi official said the main aim of expertise sharing was to reorganize Syria’s armed forces. The official added that Saudi Arabia could also benefit from Syrian partners’ experience fighting militias. The report said Syria’s reconstituted military includes former rebels who fought Bashar al-Assad and Iran-backed groups during years of war.
Saudi-Houthi hostilities have intensified since July, Reuters reported, after wider Middle East fighting reignited Yemen’s war. The outlet said Houthi missiles had struck Saudi airports and oil facilities, while Saudi forces carried out airstrikes in support of allied Yemeni forces.
A senior U.S. official said Washington had urged Damascus to proceed cautiously. The official warned that sending Syrian forces to help in Yemen could expose Syria to the wider regional conflict.
The Syrian diplomat said the agreement could later cover broader defense cooperation, with the Mecca pact among Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan as a possible model. EconoTimes previously covered Damascus’ consideration of joining the three-country pact. Reuters reported that Turkey ratified the pact Nov. 5, clearing the way for Ankara to provide military support to Riyadh.
