Saudi, US Ministers of Defense Discuss Regional, Int’l Developments

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman discussed with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin friendly ties (SPA)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman discussed with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin friendly ties (SPA)
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Saudi, US Ministers of Defense Discuss Regional, Int’l Developments

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman discussed with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin friendly ties (SPA)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman discussed with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin friendly ties (SPA)

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman has discussed with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin the latest regional and international developments.

During a meeting at the US Department of Defense in Washington on Wednesday, the two officials reviewed the strategic partnership in the military and defense sectors and ways to strengthen and enhance it.

They highlighted the leading regional and international roles of Saudi Arabia and the US in achieving global peace and security, and discussed several topics of common interest.

Saudi Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan, Chief of General Staff Lt-Gen Fayyad bin Hamed al-Ruwaili, Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs Khalid al-Bayari, Director General of the Office of Minister of Defense Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif, and the Military Attaché at the Saudi embassy in Washington and Ottawa Brig. Gen. Salman bin Awad Al-Harbi attended the meeting.

It was also attended from the US side by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt-Gen Charles Brown, Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense Lt-Gen Ronald Clark, Special Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy Brian Seagraves, Director of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Kelly Magsamin, and the Military Attaché at the US embassy to the Kingdom Brig. Gen. Richard Quirk.



Saudi Arabia: No Limit to Aid for Syrian People

Two relief planes landed in Damascus on Wednesday, marking the first deliveries of its humanitarian air bridge. (SPA)
Two relief planes landed in Damascus on Wednesday, marking the first deliveries of its humanitarian air bridge. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia: No Limit to Aid for Syrian People

Two relief planes landed in Damascus on Wednesday, marking the first deliveries of its humanitarian air bridge. (SPA)
Two relief planes landed in Damascus on Wednesday, marking the first deliveries of its humanitarian air bridge. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia has reiterated that there is no cap on the assistance it will provide to Syria, as two relief planes landed in Damascus on Wednesday and another on Thursday, marking the first deliveries of its humanitarian air bridge.
The planes transported 56 tons of various aid, including food, shelter, and medical supplies, accompanied by a team from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief).
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, advisor to the Royal Court and supervisor general of KSrelief, announced that a land convoy will soon follow the air bridge in the coming days.
Dr. Samer Al-Jatili, spokesperson for KSrelief, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Saudi Arabia’s relief efforts for the Syrian people under this aid initiative are “without limit.” He emphasized that the aid will continue until humanitarian needs are met and the situation stabilizes, in line with the directives of the Saudi leadership to alleviate the suffering of affected populations.
Al-Jatili also revealed plans to send fuel-laden trucks to Syria via Jordan, with the fuel earmarked specifically for bakeries to help them sustain operations amid current challenges.
Saudi chargé d’affaires in Syria, Abdullah al-Haris, emphasized while receiving the first aid plane that this assistance extends Saudi Arabia’s ongoing humanitarian and relief efforts through KSrelief, aimed at easing the suffering of the Syrian people during the ongoing crisis.
Dr. Mohammed Bakleh, president of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, confirmed that the aid would be distributed to all those in need across Syria without discrimination.
Saudi Arabia has long supported the Syrian people, hosting 3 million Syrians since the crisis began in 2011. The Kingdom has offered essential services such as free education, healthcare, and employment opportunities, while facilitating their reintegration into society. It has also provided grants and humanitarian assistance to displaced Syrians in neighboring countries and to those affected by the catastrophic earthquake that struck northern Syria in February 2023.
Statistics show that the Kingdom has delivered $856.891 million in aid to the Syrian people from 2011 to the end of 2024.