Saudi Arabia Turns to Syria for Help   11/09 06:12

   

   DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Syria is preparing to send fighters to Saudi Arabia 
to deploy along its border and potentially help it fight Iranian-backed rebels 
in neighboring Yemen, three officials with knowledge of the plans told The 
Associated Press.

   Syrian military advisers have already deployed to Saudi Arabia, but no 
fighters have been sent to Yemen, according to a regional official and two 
Syrian officials, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because they were 
not authorized to comment publicly.

   Officials in Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for 
comment.

   Fighting escalated this summer in Yemen between the Houthi rebels and the 
government's Saudi-backed forces. The Houthis have also launched direct and 
deadly attacks on Saudi Arabia in what is the latest front in the regional 
conflict that began in February when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

   Syria, which has a supply of battle-hardened fighters after a long civil 
war, has so far stayed on the sidelines.

   Saudi Arabia has an array of U.S.-supplied fighter jets and missile defenses 
but has been unable to defeat the Houthis in past rounds of conflict.

   While Saudi Arabia's other allies have been reluctant to commit ground 
forces to its fight with the Houthis, the Syrian government is beholden to it. 
The Saudis provided funds to Syrian rebels during that country's civil war and 
have promised much-needed financial assistance for Syria's postwar 
reconstruction.

   Syrian fighters set to deploy to Saudi-Yemen border 

   A Syrian official said that an initial force of about 600 Syrian special 
forces fighters is expected to be deployed to Saudi Arabia in the coming week. 
The official said Saudi Arabia insisted the fighters be Syrian nationals, not 
foreigners who flocked to Syria during the civil war to join different rebel 
factions.

   The official said that a Syrian delegation led by Khaled Khattab, commander 
of the 82nd Division, had recently made a two-week visit to Saudi Arabia.

   A second Syrian official said 36 Syrian military officials visited a command 
and operations room in Jeddah staffed by Saudi and Yemeni officials and 
received briefings on the different front lines and areas of operation.

   A regional official with knowledge of the discussions said Syria had already 
deployed a "small number of advisers" to Saudi Arabia, where they helped train 
Yemeni forces inside the kingdom.

   Syria may enter defense agreement with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan 

   An unnamed diplomatic official in Syria dismissed reports that Syrian forces 
were headed to Yemen, the country's state-run news agency, SANA, reported on 
Saturday. The official said the agreement with Saudi Arabia focuses on training 
its military forces and building its capabilities.

   Syrian officials have said publicly that the country is discussing the 
possibility of joining a joint defense agreement recently signed by Saudi 
Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan.

   The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed in August, commits the three 
countries to regard an attack against one as an attack on all three, and to 
deepen military cooperation in other ways.

   The two Syrian officials said that a decision had already been made -- but 
not publicly announced -- for Syria to join the Mecca pact, while the regional 
official said talks were still ongoing.

   One concern is that Syria might ask the other countries for their support 
against Israel, the regional official said. Following the ouster of Syria's 
former President Bashar Assad in December 2024, Israeli forces seized control 
of a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone in southern Syria and have occupied it since.

   Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa says his government does not seek a 
conflict with Israel and has called for Israeli forces to withdraw.

   Syria and Saudi Arabia announced last week that they had signed a military 
cooperation agreement, without providing details. During a visit to Riyadh by 
al-Sharaa, the Saudi government agreed to lend Syria more than $400 million for 
postwar reconstruction of homes and basic infrastructure.

   A change in Syria's stance on the regional war 

   Syria has turned down proposals by U.S. President Donald Trump for its 
forces to intervene against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in 
Lebanon. Al-Sharaa has said his focus is on rebuilding Syria after its lengthy 
civil war and that he wants to avoid getting embroiled in new conflicts.

   But Saudi Arabia has been key to its reintegration into the Arab world, 
which had largely shunned Syria under Assad's rule.

   Syrian involvement in the fighting against the Houthis in Yemen could expose 
it to attacks by militias in neighboring Iraq that are allied with the Houthis.