Saudi Arabia 'willing to send troops' to Syria: FM

The kingdom, which has suffered a huge financial loss from the stalled war against Houthi rebels in Yemen, said it would would also be prepared to send soldiers to Syria, Saudi state TV reported.

The remarks come as the international community scrambles to resolve the ongoing brutal Syrian conflict, after an alleged chemical attack last week killed more than 40 civilians in Douma and sparked worldwide outrage.

On Tuesday, a Wall Street Journal report said US President Donald Trump is seeking to create a multi-national Arab force that can replace the US military presence in Syria.

US officials have reportedly reached out to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Egypt about providing funds and military resources to create the force. 

The Trump administration's goal is to block the Islamic State group from re-establishing itself in Syria at the same time as it seeks to minimize the US role in the country. 

WSJ reported the plan has also attracted the attention of Erik Prince, founder of private military contractor Blackwater, which helped the UAE and Somalia establish private security forces.

On Friday night, Trump hinted at his administration's efforts to have Arab states take up a larger role as he grows impatient with the Syrian war. "We have asked our partners to take greater responsibility for securing their home region, including contributing larger amounts of money," he said.

But Saudi Arabia, the US' biggest Arab ally, has been entangled in a three-year war against Houthi rebels in Yemen that has yet to bear fruit.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia launched a coalition of Arab states fighting to roll back the rebels in Yemen and restore the country's internationally-recognised government to power - creating what  the United Nations has called the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

The Saudi-led coalition's war in neighbouring Yemen has killed nearly 10,000 people since 2015, when the coalition joined the government's fight against the Houthis. 

While all sides in the war stand accused of failing to protect civilians, the Saudi-led coalition has drawn particularly harsh condemnation from international rights groups over the mounting civilian deaths. Last year, Saudi Arabia was added to a UN blacklist last year for the killing and maiming of children. 

Meanwhile, the Houthis have in recent months intensified missile strikes on Saudi Arabia, declaring this week that 2018 would be the "year of ballistics".

Last November, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman presided over the first meeting of an Islamic counter-terrorism alliance involving around 40 Muslim countries, as he vowed to "pursue terrorists".