Bahrain: ready to commit ground forces to Syria

Bahrain is ready to commit ground troops to Syria as part of a U.S.-led coalition, the Persian Gulf island state said on Friday, a day after its larger neighbor and close ally Saudi Arabia announced a similar pledge, The Japan Times reported.

Bahraini ambassador to Britain Sheikh Fawaz bin Mohammed al-Khalifa said Bahrain would commit troops to operate “in concert with the Saudis” under what he called a unified military command of Persian Gulf Arab states.

He added that the United Arab Emirates, a fellow member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), was also ready to commit troops, echoing an assertion made late last year by UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash.

Saudi Arabia said on Thursday it was ready to participate in any ground operations in Syria if the U.S.-led alliance decides to start such operations, an adviser to the Saudi defense minister said, Reuters reported.