UAE 'ready' to send ground troops to fight against IS militants in Syria

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Sunday it was ready to send ground troops to Syria as part of an international coalition to fight against IS. Asked if the UAE was ready to send troops if need be, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said at a media briefing in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi: "This has been our position throughout." "We have been frustrated at the slow pace.... of confronting IS," he added. "We are not talking about thousands of troops but we are talking about troops on the ground that will lead the way... that will support... and I think our position remains the same and we will have to see how this progresses," he said. Gargash added "US leadership on this" would be a prerequisite for the UAE. Saudi Arabia said last week it was ready to participate in any ground operations in Syria if the US-led coalition fighting IS militants in Syria and Iraq decided to start such operations. Syria would resist any ground incursion into its territory, its foreign minister said on Saturday.