Syria to Deploy 600 Special Forces to Saudi Arabia
Syria is deploying 600 special forces fighters to Saudi Arabia to secure borders and assist in fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Government of Syria is preparing to deploy approximately 600 special forces fighters to Saudi Arabia to secure the border and potentially support operations against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. This deployment follows a military cooperation agreement between the two nations, which includes a $400 million loan from Saudi Arabia to fund Syria's postwar reconstruction.
Syrian military advisers have already arrived in the kingdom to train Yemeni forces. A delegation led by Khaled Khattab, commander of the 82nd Division, recently completed a two-week visit to a command and operations room in Jeddah to coordinate these efforts. As part of this strategic shift, Syria is considering joining the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, a mutual defense pact involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.
President Ahmad al-Sharaa has previously avoided entering new conflicts and rejected U.S. requests to intervene against Hezbollah in Lebanon. However, the current alignment with Saudi Arabia signals a broader effort by the Syrian government to facilitate its reintegration into the Arab world.
