Rumors of sending Syrian troops to Saudi Arabia and Yemen... Syrian government denial

AFP news agency reports citing multiple Yemeni officials

(Johannesburg = Yonhap News) Correspondent Na Confirmation = 3,000 Syrian troops are scheduled to be dispatched to Saudi Arabia and Yemen to fight Yemen's pro-Iran rebels Houthis, and some of these troops have already been deployed, AFP reported on the 7th (local time), citing multiple Yemeni officials.

However, after the report, Syria's state-run SANA news agency immediately refuted the report, citing Syrian diplomatic sources.

Citing three Yemeni military officials and one defense official, AFP reported today that hundreds of Syrian troops have already been deployed on both sides of the Saudi-Yemeni border, and that additional troops are scheduled to be deployed.

In addition, an official from Yemen's highest ruling body, the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), said, "The Syrian and Saudi sides agreed to send about 3,000 troops to fight the Houthi rebels," AFP reported.

It was also said that this plan was approved when Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara visited the Saudi capital Riyadh this week.

A Yemeni military official said that troops currently deployed on the Yemeni side of the border are leading drone operations against Houthi rebels in the area. A Yemeni Ministry of Defense official said that according to the agreement, more than 10,000 combatants will be dispatched in total, and the remaining troops will be deployed in stages.

However, Syrian government officials denied this report, AFP, Reuters, and Xinhua News Agency reported, citing SANA.

A Syrian diplomatic official told SANA news agency that reports that Syrian troops had been sent to Yemen at this stage were "completely unfounded" and that Syria's priorities were strengthening internal security, rebuilding the country and supporting economic recovery.

The official explained that the agreement signed by Syria with Saudi Arabia is aimed at training and strengthening the capabilities of the Syrian army, and that a Saudi delegation is scheduled to visit Syria next month to coordinate. However, he added that depending on the common interests of the two countries, there is a possibility that the cooperation may develop into a mutual defense agreement in the future or expand into joining the 'Mecca Mutual Defense Agreement' signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye.

At the Manama Dialogue security conference held in Bahrain at the end of last month, Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani said, "Discussions are currently underway to consider Syria's accession to the Mecca Alliance. Whether Syria joins (the Mecca Mutual Defense Agreement) or not, Syria believes that a structure to protect regional security is desperately needed in the region."

The Mecca Agreement, like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Charter, considers an armed attack against a member state as an attack on its own country and stipulates that the parties must use 'all necessary means' to eliminate threats to each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty.