Egyptian military helping Assad forces

An Egyptian military air support unit has reportedly been sent to Syria as part of a large deployment beginning next year, Lebanese newspaper As-Safir reported.

The report comes after Egyptian President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi expressed his support for forces loyal to Bashar Al-Assad as the only viable solution in bringing stability to the war-torn country.

A large deployment of Egyptian troops is supposedly arriving in Syria early next year to take part in military operations “not limited to air support at Hama airbase”.

According to the newspaper, “well-informed Arab sources” informed them that an Egyptian army unit consisting of 18 helicopter pilots were sent to the Syrian city of Hama’s airbase two weeks ago though it was “unclear whether they have begun taking part in aerial operations”.

The newspaper also stated that two Egyptian generals had been stationed at the Syrian General Staff Headquarters in Damascus a month ago and have since been surveying the front lines. The generals also met with an Armoured Division near Daraa on Tuesday after they visited an airbase in Sweida province.

Earlier this week, Al-Sisi voiced his support for Al-Assad in a move that is likely to further alienate Egypt’s relationship with its benefactor Saudi Arabia.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been at odds since Egypt backed Russia and France’s draft resolutions regarding Syria at the United Nations Security Council last month.