World
Syria, Saudi Arabia sign defence cooperation deal, agree $403m in loans
Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman oversaw the signing of a defence cooperation deal and more than $403m in Saudi loans for Syria's energy, housing, health and infrastructure sectors during al-Sharaa's second Riyadh visit in under a month. The defence agreement came days after Syria's foreign minister said Damascus was weighing joining a mutual defence pact among Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan. Riyadh has been a key backer of Syria's government since al-Sharaa took power after Bashar al-Assad's overthrow in December 2024.