(Adds details from call)
WASHINGTON, Sept 10 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama called Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah on Wednesday ahead of an evening speech in which the U.S. leader plans to lay out his strategy for defeating the militant group Islamic State.
Abdullah agreed with Obama that moderate opposition fighters in Syria should be given increased training and equipment, and Obama welcomed Saudi Arabia's involvement in its efforts to provide that support, the White House said in a statement.
"Both leaders agreed that a stronger Syrian opposition is essential to confronting extremists like (Islamic State) as well as the Assad regime, which has lost all legitimacy," the White House said.
Obama's speech from the White House is at 9 p.m. Eastern Time (1300 GMT). (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Julia Edwards; Editing by Caren Bohan and Grant McCool)
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