AFP Reports Plan to Send Thousands of Syrian Troops to Yemen and Saudi Arabia

Hundreds of Syrian soldiers are already stationed on both sides of the Saudi-Yemeni border, Yemeni military sources and a defense official tell AFP, as Riyadh seeks reinforcements against the Houthis.

The reported deployment would expand Syria’s role beyond the advisory and training mission described by Reuters a day earlier. Neither Damascus nor Riyadh has publicly confirmed the combat plan in the reporting available.

AFP Sources Say 3,000 Troops Would Join the First Phase

A source in Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council tells AFP that Syria and Saudi Arabia have agreed to send about 3,000 troops to fight the Houthis. The source requests anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity.

A Yemeni Defense Ministry source separately describes an initial force of about 3,000 fighters, including officers and specialists, with some already in the field. That source puts the eventual deployment at more than 10,000, with additional troops arriving in later stages.

Three Yemeni military sources and a defense official tell AFP that hundreds have already reached positions on both sides of the border. One military official says personnel on the Yemeni side are directing drone operations against the Houthis.

AFP’s account does not specify how many troops would serve in each country. The numbers, locations and combat roles remain attributed to its sources, rather than publicly confirmed by either government.

Damascus Describes the Pact as Training Cooperation

The plan reportedly follows Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Riyadh this week, when the two countries signed a defense cooperation agreement.

Reuters reports that scores of Syrian personnel have traveled to Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, citing two Syrian military sources. A senior U.S. official says advisers are helping train Saudi and Yemeni units inside the kingdom.

That account supports a limited Syrian presence in Saudi Arabia, not independent confirmation of AFP’s larger deployment figures or operations inside Yemen. The earlier advisory mission centers on training and combat expertise.

A senior Syrian diplomat tells Reuters that “any suggestion of military deployments at this stage is premature” and says the agreement “specifically includes advisory support, training and exchange of expertise”.

A senior Saudi official tells Reuters that joint training exercises are underway and more are planned, while describing cooperation as primarily intended to restructure Syria’s forces.

Saudi Ties Deepen After Assad’s Fall

Saudi Arabia has become a close partner of Damascus since forces led by al-Sharaa overthrew former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Syria’s rebuilt military includes former rebels with years of combat experience, Reuters reports.

The November visit follows an earlier meeting between al-Sharaa and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Oct. 6.

Presidential media adviser Ahmad Zaidan denied reports of a Saudi request for Syrian troops in October, according to The National. Syria’s Foreign Media Department also said the government prioritizes reconstruction rather than opening new fronts. Those statements predate the latest defense agreement and AFP report.

Riyadh Seeks Support as the Yemen War Widens

Saudi Arabia is seeking help to repel the Iran-aligned Houthis and support Yemen’s internationally recognized government, based in Aden. The proposed border deployment does not mean Syrian troops are being sent to Aden itself.

Reuters dates the renewed Saudi-Houthi hostilities to July and links Yemen’s escalation to the wider Middle East conflict. Its October reporting describes the fighting as spillover from the U.S.-Iran war.

The Houthis have attacked Saudi airports and oil facilities while Saudi Arabia launches airstrikes in support of its Yemeni allies. The confrontation also includes reported Houthi demands for a settlement and restrictions on shipping, including a Red Sea clearance system.

Washington has urged Damascus to proceed cautiously, the senior U.S. official tells Reuters, warning that a role in Yemen could draw Syria into the wider regional war.

In remarks shared on Oct. 20, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack questions the effectiveness of military responses in Yemen: “These kinetic reactions have never worked.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei also warns against further intervention in Oct. 20 remarks about possible Egyptian military support for Saudi Arabia, arguing that it would complicate efforts to resolve the conflict through dialogue.