KUALALAMPUR – Malaysia’s defence minister has said that his country’s newgovernment will withdraw its troops from Saudi Arabia.

In a statement made to local media, Mohammed Sabu said on Wednesday thatmaintaining a military presence in the kingdom risked dragging Malaysiainto a regional conflict.

Sabu noted Malaysian troops were not partaking in operations under way inYemen, referring to a Saudi-led intervention in the neighbouring country.

“Malaysia has always maintained its neutrality. It has never pursued anaggressive foreign policy,” Sabu told the government-owned MalaysianNational News Agency.

The decision was made last week, Sabu said, adding that talks with theforeign ministry to determine the timing of the troops’ return would soonbegin.

Saudi Arabia, together with several other Arab nations, launched a militarycampaign in 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognisedgovernment, aiming to roll back advances made by Houthi rebels after theyoverran much of the country in 2014.

Most countries have since withdrawn their forces from the US-backedcoalition, with only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates conductingattacks in Yemen.

Earlier this week, the United Nations said the Saudi-led coalition wasresponsible for more than half of child deaths and injuries in war-tornYemen last year.

It is unclear how many Malaysian troops are currently stationed in SaudiArabia. In 2015, former Prime Minister Najib Razak sent troops to the Gulfcountry to facilitate the evacuation of Malaysian nationals in Yemen.