Saudi Arabia willing to take part in US-led ground operations in Syria, says military spokesman

QUICK PILL

• Saudi Arabia, which has never joined any coalition against Islamic State has finally made an announcement of sorts. The kingdom is willing to join the fight against the terror group if the coalition deems it necessary.

• \"The kingdom is ready to participate in any ground operations that the coalition against Islamic State may agree to carry out in Syria,\" Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri said.

Saudi Arabia has expressed its willingness to send ground troops to Syria if the US-led coalition decided that such operations are necessary, an adviser to the Saudi defense minister announced on Friday.

"The kingdom is ready to participate in any ground operations that the coalition against Islamic State may agree to carry out in Syria," Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, the spokesman for the Saudi-led Arab coalition in Yemen, told al-Arabiya.

Saudi Ministry of Defense spokesman: Saudi Arabia ready to send ground troops to Syria to fight Daesh (ISIS) if asked.

- Saudi Embassy (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) February 4, 2016

When asked to comment on the recent Saudi statement, US State Department spokesman John Kirby said, "I haven't yet seen it (the announcement). But the coalition is generally supportive of having partners contribute more in the fight against IS."

"I would not want to comment specifically on this until we've had a chance to review it," Kirby said at a briefing.

The US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes against Islamic State since mid-2014. Over the course of the operation, US President Barack Obama has repeatedly stated that there will be no US soldiers on the ground in Syria.

Meanwhile, last year, Russia too joined the fight and set up air bases in Syria to tackle the Islamic State menace. This move was seen by the Western powers as Russian President Vladimir Putin's way of supporting Bashar-al-Assad.

On 29th January, a suicide bomber had attacked a mosque in Shiite-populated eastern Saudi Arabia during Friday prayers, killing four people before worshippers managed to disarm him and his accomplices.

Since deadly attacks claimed by IS last year against Shiite mosques in the kingdom's east, security has been increased and community guards now inspect visitors to houses of worship.