Damascus denies sending troops to Yemen – what it says about military cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Damascus denies it is preparing to send troops to Yemen. A Syrian diplomatic source told the state news agency SANA on Saturday, November 7 that reports of a deployment of Syrian military forces to Yemen “at this moment” have no basis. The country, he added, has as its priority for the coming period internal security, reconstruction and economic recovery.

The denial came a few hours after Agence France-Presse (AFP) carried information from Yemeni officials about thousands of Syrian soldiers to be deployed in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The same sources spoke of hundreds already on both sides of the border. A source in Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council put the force at up to 3,000 men, while a source in Yemen’s Defence Ministry spoke of 3,000 in the first phase and up to 10,000 in total. One of the Yemeni officials also claimed that Syrian military personnel on the Yemeni side of the border direct drone operations against the Houthis and, according to a Defence Ministry source, technical teams from the two defence ministries are finalising details in Riyadh.

Training, not combat, says Damascus

The Syrian side gives a different picture of the military relationship with Riyadh. The agreements in force, according to the diplomatic source, concern cooperation in training, exchange of expertise and military consultations, aimed at the national interests of both countries. The emphasis is on training and on developing the capabilities of the Syrian armed forces. Saudi teams are expected to begin coordination visits to Syria in December.

Damascus does not close the door on something bigger, however. The same source noted that cooperation may in the future evolve into a joint defence agreement or Syria’s accession to the Mecca Pact, “depending on what common interests require.” The Mecca Pact on joint defence between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey has already been ratified by the Turkish parliament. Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani had confirmed on October 31 that talks are under way on the country’s participation in a regional security and defence system with the Gulf states.

The story has a sequel. A day earlier, Syrian officers and a US official had revealed that Syrian military advisers are already in Saudi Arabia for the war with the Houthis, where they train Saudi units and forces of Yemen’s internationally recognised government. The two countries’ defence cooperation agreement was signed in Riyadh on Wednesday, November 4, during the visit of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a visit during which, according to a source in the Presidential Leadership Council, the sending of troops was also approved.