UAE Is Willing to Send Ground Forces to Syria

• 02.08.2016, 09:16
•  Near East,  World

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Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Anwar Gargashsaid  declared on February 7 that UAE was ready to supply ground troops to help support and train an international military coalition against Islamic State in Syria provided such efforts were led by the United States, Reuters reports.

On the ocassion he noted:

"I think that this has been our position throughout ... that a real campaign against Daesh has to include ground elements," he said, referring to Islamic State's name using the Arabic acronym.

"We are not talking about a thousand troops but we are talking about troops on the ground that will lead the way, that will train, that will support ... And I think our position remains the same and we will have to see how this progresses."

"Of course an American leadership in this effort is a pre-requisite," Gargash said.

He added that the UAE had been frustrated at the slow pace of the international efforts against Islamic State "although there has been some progress in Iraq recently, of confronting Daesh."

Previously Saudi Arabia also declared that it was ready to participate in any ground operations in Syria if the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants decided to start such operations.