Syriaupdated 20m ago3 min read
MapSyria Sends Military Advice And Training To Saudi Arabia Amid Houthi Attacks
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This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Syria provides advisory support and military training to Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks. Damascus has sent dozens of Syrian personnel to the Kingdom in recent weeks.
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Advice for Riyadh
Syria is aiding Saudi Arabia with military advice and training as Saudi Arabia comes under attack by Yemen's Houthis, and two Syrian military sources and a senior U.S. official said Syria sent a limited number of military personnel to the kingdom. The Reuters account described advisory and training teams from Syria traveling to Saudi Arabia to help train Saudi and Yemeni units inside the kingdom to improve their combat effectiveness. Saudi Arabia and Syria are cooperating militarily against Yemen’s Houthi group, with Damascus providing advisory support, military training, and personnel to the kingdom.
A senior Syrian diplomat said any reference to deploying military personnel at this stage was too early, while the senior US official said advisory and military training teams were travelling to Saudi Arabia. The sources also said two Syrian military sources confirmed that dozens of military personnel from Syria had arrived in Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.
Agreement and American warning
The defense cooperation agreement between Damascus and Riyadh was signed in Riyadh on Wednesday, and Reuters reporting described it as including advisory support, military training, and the exchange of expertise. SWI swissinfo.ch said the senior Syrian diplomat told Reuters, “Any reference to deploying personnel at this stage is premature,” and it said the diplomat added that the defense cooperation agreement “specifically includes advisory support, training, and exchange of expertise.” Haaretz reproduced Reuters framing that Syria is aiding Riyadh as Saudi Arabia comes under attack by Yemen's Houthis, while it also carried the Reuters line that two Syrian military sources and a senior U.S. official said Syria sent a limited number of military personnel.
SWI swissinfo.ch also said the senior American official warned Washington urged Damascus to proceed cautiously, adding that any deployment of Syrians to assist in the Yemen war carries the risk of drawing the country into a broader regional conflict. Kurdistan24 reported that the senior Saudi official said joint training exercises were underway and further security and defense plans were being considered.
Scope, reconstruction, and risk
Syria’s current priorities were domestic security, border protection, and reconstruction, while it described the advisory and training work as involved but with a mandate that could be broader. ARYnews.tv | Other said the two Syrian sources had direct knowledge and said scores of military personnel had gone from Syria to Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, while advisory and training work was involved but their mandate could be broader. nedaelwatan said Reuters reporting included a caveat about possible expansion of cooperation in the future and stated there was no confirmed information indicating participation by Syrian forces in direct combat operations inside Yemen or against the Houthi movement.
nedaelwatan also said the Saudi Fund for Development signed six agreements worth more than $403 million with Syria’s Ministry of Finance to provide concessional loans for reconstruction and service projects. SWI swissinfo.ch added that the Saudi Fund for Development signed seven agreements with the Syrian Ministry of Finance on Wednesday to provide developmental loans with favorable terms totaling more than $403 million, and it described the loans as “a vital lifeline” for Syria.