Syria is aiding Riyadh with military advice and training as Saudi Arabia comes under attack by Yemen’s Houthis, and has sent a limited number of military personnel to the kingdom, Reuters reports citing two Syrian military sources and a senior US official.
The senior US official says advisers and training teams from Syria — where fighters became battle-hardened through years of war — were travelling to Saudi Arabia to help train Saudi and Yemeni units inside the kingdom to improve their combat effectiveness.
The two Syrian sources, who have direct knowledge of the matter, say scores of military personnel have gone from Syria to Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. They add that advisory and training work is involved, but that their mandate could be broader.
In response to a request for comment, a senior Syrian diplomat says, “Any suggestion of military deployments at this stage is premature” and that Syria’s focus remains on internal security, protecting its borders and reconstruction.
They add that a Syrian-Saudi defence cooperation deal signed on Wednesday “specifically includes advisory support, training and exchange of expertise”.
