Saudi pledges $100m to stabilise Syria

‘Riyadh’s contribution aims to support stabilisation projects and will play a critical role in the coalition’s efforts to revitalise communities that have been devastated by terrorists’

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Friday announced a $100 million contribution to a Us-backed campaign to “stabilise” northeastern Syria, once a bastion of the radical Daesh group.

The 88 million euro contribution is the biggest single cash injection yet for reconstruction efforts in areas formerly controlled by the militants.

The group declared a “caliphate” after seizing swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, but has since been ousted from most of that territory including its former de facto Syrian capital Raqa and a pocket of Damascus.

Saudi Arabia, the United States’ most powerful Arab ally, is a member of the Us-led Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh, another acronym for the militant group.

Riyadh’s contribution aims to support “stabilisation projects” and “will play a critical role in the coalition’s efforts to revitalise communities, such as Raqa, that have been devastated by the Daesh terrorists,” read a statement by the Saudi embassy in Washington.

It said the money would “save lives, help facilitate the return of displaced Syrians, and help ensure that Daesh cannot reemerge to threaten Syria, its neighbours, or plan attacks against the international community.”

In April, reports emerged that the United States was looking to build an Arab force to replace its troops in northeastern Syria. The US government has not oficially confirmed the reports.

Despite the defeat of Daesh in Syria and Iraq, between 20,000 and 30,000 of its ighters remain in the two countries, according to a United Nations report released on Monday.

The United States welcomed Saudi Arabia’s contribution of $100 million to help stabilise parts of Syria no longer held by Daesh, which comes as the Trump administration looks to cut back on foreign aid.

“This signiicant contribution is critical to stabilisation and early recovery efforts and comes at an important time in the campaign,” the State Department said in a statement.

It said Daesh’s territory is down to 1,000 square km in Syria and nearly 150,000 people have returned to the city of Raqa after the militant group led.

While the State Department welcomed Riyadh’s contribution, it called on US partners and allies “to do their share in this effort that helps bring greater stability and security to the region.”

The Saudi contribution comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is looking to bypass the US Congress to reduce foreign aid spending, including funds for programs in Syria, the West Bank and Gaza.

YEMEN TALKS

Separately, the United Nations has invited Yemen’s government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels to Geneva next month for talks on resolving the country’s civil war, a spokeswoman said on Friday. “I can confirm that the Ofice of the Special Envoy sent out invitations to the government of Yemen and to Ansarullah,” UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci told reporters.

Ansarullah, which means Supporters of God, refers to the Houthi rebels group that has been battling the Saudi-backed internationally recognised government in a conlict that has killed nearly 10,000 people since 2015.

The UN’S Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths has said the talks due to open on Sept.6 will be aimed at charting a path forward to revive Un-backed negotiations which broke down in 2016.

Yemen’s government has said it has low expectations for the talks, blaming the Houthis for refusing to make concessions.

The UN has repeatedly described Yemen as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.