Reuters news agency quoted two Syrian military sources and another American official that dozens of Syrian military personnel have left for Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, as part of a mission involving the training of Saudi and Yemeni military units.
Dozens of Syrian military personnel have left for Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, as part of a mission involving the training of Saudi and Yemeni military units. The sources clarified that the Syrian teams heading to Saudi Arabia include training elements, noting that the powers of these teams may be broader than merely providing military training. In this context, Reuters reported an American official warning that any deployment of Syrian forces to assist in the war in Yemen could drag Syria into the wider conflict in the region, with implications for its position and role in the regional developments. Earlier, an American official told Reuters that the issue of sending Syrian forces to Yemen was raised during the meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the head of the transitional phase in Syria, Ahmad al-Shara, in Riyadh last month. This comes at a time when military confrontations in Yemen are escalating, as Saudi Arabia continues to carry out dozens of airstrikes daily on civilian targets, residential homes, and infrastructure in several Yemeni provinces, while the Yemeni armed forces affirm their continued legitimate response targeting Saudi airports and vital facilities, and continue to confront military mobilizations associated with Riyadh.