Syria has no plans to send troops to fight Houthis in Yemen 'in near future'

Syria is not planning to send troops to Yemen in the near future to combat the Houthi rebels, despite signing defense agreements with Saudi Arabia, according to Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani. This stance was reiterated during a joint press conference in Damascus following the signing of the agreements. The minister emphasized that any military operations would be publicly announced and not carried out secretly.

Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara visited Saudi Arabia last week, where they signed agreements covering military cooperation, energy, infrastructure, and more. The visit followed reports that Syria was negotiating to join the Makkah Defence Alliance, which includes Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. Saudi Arabia has been facing drone and missile attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen in recent weeks, targeting various strategic sites.

The Syrian foreign minister reiterated his country's support for the legitimate Yemeni government and condemnation of the Houthi militia's actions. The foreign minister highlighted the importance of regional security and defense frameworks, stating that cooperation between countries is necessary to protect their people and borders.

The Syrian government is working to rebuild its military and civilian institutions, and sees Saudi Arabia's expertise as crucial in this process. Military agreements between Syria and Saudi Arabia primarily focus on training military forces, exchanging expertise, and conducting joint consultations. Reports of Syrian military forces being deployed to Yemen have been dismissed as untrue, and Egypt's parliament recently authorized President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to support Saudi Arabia militarily against the Houthis, involving the deployment of anti-aircraft batteries and medium-to-short range systems.