LONDON: A military delegation from the Syrian Arab Republic on Thursday took part in a conference in Bahrain led by US Central Command alongside 10 countries from the Middle East.
Col. Ahmad Saeed Issa, director of the Department of International Cooperation within the Ministry of Defense, led the delegation at the “Strategic Military Partners Dialogue” conference, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
Syrian military officials discussed regional security and opportunities for enhancing defense collaboration with their US and Arab counterparts from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen.
They confirmed a strong commitment to ensuring the free flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a CENTCOM statement.
CENTCOM chief Brad Cooper said: “We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our regional partners ... the discussions underscored our shared commitment to regional security and stability.”
The event marked the first time military leaders from both Syria and Lebanon took part in a CENTCOM-led event.
In May, the Syrian Arab Army took part in the Efes 2026 land, naval and air forces drills in Turkiye alongside 50 countries from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. It was also the first participation in military drills alongside NATO members since the fall of the Bashar Assad regime in December 2024.
In November, Syria became the 90th member of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh, a multinational force established in 2014 that includes the US, UK and France.
