MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Last week, Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said it stood ready to deploy ground troops to Syria to fight the Daesh militant group.
"Saudi Arabia’s announcement of sending its troops for a ground operation will not be reconsidered," Asiri said on the Al Arabiya television channel.
The official stressed that the operation would begin as soon as the US-led international coalition makes a corresponding decision.
The US-led coalition has been launching airstrikes against the group since 2014 without approval from Damascus or the United Nations, and providing military aid to the so-called moderate opposition which aims to oust the current government.
Russia, having outlawed the group, began launching airstrikes against the IS last September on request of the Syrian authorities.
