Yemen denies reports of possible deployment of Syrian troops to Yemen

Official Damascus and Yemen's ambassador deny reports of troop deployment

Reports that Syrian troops could be sent to Yemen as part of military cooperation between the two countries “do not reflect the current reality,” the incumbent Yemeni ambassador to Damascus said on Thursday Mohammed Azzi Baakr said in an interview with the Syrian state agency SANA, Anadolu reports. According to him, any steps of this kind would be announced through the relevant official channels in accordance with established legal procedures and in a way that serves the interests of both countries and their peoples.

Context of the Syrian minister's statements

Baakr welcomed the remarks of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani about Damascus's support for the Yemeni government and its efforts to achieve security and stability, as well as his condemnation of Houthi attacks on civilian targets. He added that Yemeni-Syrian relations are moving toward greater cooperation and integration in various fields.

What preceded the denials

On Monday, al-Shaibani, at a joint press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, denied that Syrian forces are present in Yemen or that there are any near-term plans to send troops there. He stressed that Damascus supports the Yemeni government, and any Syrian military deployment outside the country would be announced openly and would not be carried out in secret. The statements followed publications in Western media citing Yemeni officials as saying that thousands of Syrian service members would be deployed in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Thus, both officials — the Syrian minister and the Yemeni ambassador — consistently reject these reports, while not ruling out future steps that, according to the ambassador, would be formalized officially.