DAMASCUS: Syria has firmly denied that its soldiers are deployed in Yemen, rejecting reports that Damascus was preparing to join the fight against the Iran-backed Houthi movement, according to Arab News.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani said on Monday that Syria has no troops in Yemen and no immediate plan to send any. “There is no deployment of troops to Yemen nor is there a plan for such deployment in the near future,” he told reporters in Damascus.
His remarks came after Yemeni officials told AFP that Syrian soldiers were already present in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and that thousands more could follow. The claims had raised questions about whether Syria was becoming more directly involved in Yemen’s long-running conflict.
Al-Shaibani made the denial during a joint press conference with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, following the third session of the Syrian-Jordanian Higher Coordination Council. Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that the meeting was attended by senior defense, intelligence and security officials from both countries.
The Syrian minister said his country’s military agreement with Saudi Arabia was aimed at rebuilding Syria’s armed forces, not sending troops abroad. He added that any future decision to deploy Syrian forces outside the country would be announced publicly, not carried out in secret.
Damascus also reaffirmed its support for Yemen’s internationally recognized government and condemned threats made by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia.
Beyond Yemen, the Damascus meeting highlighted a widening partnership between Syria and Jordan. Al-Shaibani described relations between the two neighbors as “stronger than any obstacle,” saying that close security cooperation was helping both countries control their shared border and target smuggling networks.
“Jordan’s security is an extension of Syria’s security,” he said, framing the relationship as one of mutual protection as well as political partnership.
Safadi, for his part, said ties between Amman and Damascus were now “at their best.” He pledged that Jordan would continue to deepen cooperation with Syria and reaffirmed Amman’s support for the country’s reconstruction after years of war and upheaval.
The Higher Coordination Council was established in May 2025 to coordinate policy and expand cooperation between the two governments. It meets every six months, while specialized committees work to carry out agreements reached at ministerial level.
At its previous meeting in Amman in April, the council produced around 10 agreements and memoranda of understanding, signaling a steady effort to turn diplomatic goodwill into practical cooperation.
For now, however, Syria’s clearest message concerns Yemen: Damascus says its soldiers are not there, and it has no intention of sending them.
