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Saudi Arabia 'Ready To Send Ground Troops To Syria'
Saudi Arabia is ready to send ground troops to Syria to fight Islamic State, provided coalition leaders agree during an upcoming meeting in Brussels, a Saudi military spokesman has said.
Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri said Saudi Arabia has taken part in coalition air strikes against IS since the US-led campaign began in September 2014, but would now provide ground troops.
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The US is scheduled to convene a meeting of defence ministers from countries fighting IS in Brussels this month.
"We are determined to fight and defeat Daesh," Brig Gen Asiri said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.
He did not elaborate on how many troops the kingdom would send.
The U.S has welcomed the news with Defense Secretary Ashton Carter hailing Saudi Arabia’s offer of troop deployment to war-weary Syria.
"That kind of news is very welcome," he told reporters while on a visit to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
Saudi Arabia is deeply involved in Yemen's civil war, where it is fighting Iranian-backed Shiite rebels.
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