Brigadier General Ahmad Al-Assiri, the Military Advisor to the Minister of Defense, asserted the Kingdom is ready to send ground troops to fight Daesh, as soon as the international coalition gives the green light, and that this decision of Saudi Arabia is an "irreversible decision."
This came in remarks made by Brig. Gen. Al-Assiri to reporters on the sidelines of the meeting of the international coalition to counter Daesh which was held at the headquarters of NATO in Brussels on Thursday.
In a press remarks he made to Al-Ikhbariya TV channel, Brig. Al-Assiri pointed that the presence of the Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, is a part of a set timetabled meetings of the ministers of defense of the international coalition member states, to fight the terrorist Daesh.
Al-Assiri said that the details will be discussed by the committees during upcoming meetings in order to determine how to participate, the mechanism and the size of forces. He pointed out that this comes within the framework of the international coalition to counter Daesh and also the Islamic military alliance to fight terrorism, which will be led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Al-Assiri added that the kingdom's initiative to send ground troops as part of the international coalition to counter Daesh and the military operations which the kingdom will participate in were discussed, explaining that the Deputy Crown Prince gave the US side a detailed idea on the Islamic Military Alliance and its four aspects (intellectual, financial, media and military).
Asked about the readiness of the Islamic Military Alliance to counter terrorism, Brigadier Al-Assiri said that there is a road map for the alliance and the diplomatic efforts have been completed, pointing out that efforts is currently carrying out to establish a coordinating center, and to hold a conference of the chiefs of staff of participating States to discuss the concept of the Islamic military alliance.
He added that a meeting of the defense ministers to put the final touches to this alliance will be held at the end of March or beginning of April.
Kingdom ready to send ground troops: Al-Assiri



