Exclusive-Russia withdraws but does not leave Syria, sources say By Reuters

By Tuvan Gumrukcu, Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Guy Faulconbridge

TARTOUS, Syria (Reuters) – Russia is withdrawing its army from the front lines in northern Syria and from its posts in the Alawite mountains, but will not abandon its two main bases in the country after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad , four Syrians. officials told Reuters.

The overthrow of Assad, who along with his late father, former President Hafez al-Assad, had forged a close alliance with Moscow, has thrown into doubt the future of Russian bases: the Hmeimim air base in Latakia and the naval facility of Tartous.

Satellite images from Friday show what appeared to be at least two Antonov AN-124s, one of the world’s largest cargo planes, at the Hmeimim base with their noses open, apparently preparing to load.

At least one cargo plane flew to Libya on Saturday, a Syrian security official stationed outside the facility said.

Syrian military and security sources in contact with the Russians told Reuters that Moscow was withdrawing its forces from the front and withdrawing some heavy equipment and senior Syrian officers.

But the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said Russia was not withdrawing from its two main bases and had no current intention to do so.

Some teams are being sent back to Moscow, as are senior Assad army officers, but the aim at this stage is to regroup and redeploy as dictated by events on the ground, a senior army officer told Reuters. Syrian in contact with the Russian army.

A senior rebel official close to the new interim administration told Reuters that the issue of Russian military presence in Syria and past agreements between the Assad government and Moscow were not under discussion.

“It is a topic for future talks and the Syrian people will have the final say,” the official said, adding that Moscow had established communication channels.

“Our forces are also now very close to the Russian bases in Latakia,” he added without giving further details.

The Kremlin has said Russia is in talks with Syria’s new rulers about the bases. Russia’s Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the Reuters reports.

A Russian source who spoke on condition of anonymity said talks with Syria’s new rulers were ongoing and Russia was not withdrawing from its bases.

Reuters could not immediately determine how Syrian rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, viewed the long-term future of the Russian bases.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose 2015 intervention in the Syrian civil war helped prop up Assad as the West called for his overthrow, granted him asylum in Russia after Moscow helped him flee on Sunday.

BASES

Moscow has backed Syria since the beginning of the Cold War and recognized its independence in 1944 as Damascus sought to overthrow French colonial rule. The West has long considered Syria a Soviet satellite.

The bases in Syria are an integral part of Russia’s global military presence: the Tartous naval base is Russia’s only repair and replenishment center in the Mediterranean, with Hmeimim being an important staging post for military and mercenary activity in Africa .

Russia also has listening posts in Syria that were located next to Syrian signal stations, according to Syrian military and Western intelligence sources.

The Tartous facility dates back to 1971, and after Russia intervened in the civil war to help Assad, Moscow was granted a free 49-year lease in 2017.

Yoruk Isik, an Istanbul-based geopolitical analyst who runs the Bosphorus Observer, said Russia was likely sending cargo planes from Syria through the Caucasus and then to the Al Khadim air base in Libya.

On the road linking the Hmeimim air base with the Tartous base, a Russian convoy of infantry fighting vehicles and logistics vehicles could be seen heading towards the air base, a Reuters journalist said.

The convoy was stopped due to a malfunction in one of its vehicles, and soldiers were standing by the vehicles and working to repair the problem.

“Whether it’s Russian, Iranian or the previous government who oppressed us and denied us our rights… we don’t want any intervention from Russia, Iran or any other foreign intervention,” Ali Halloum, who is from Latakia and lives in Jablah, said. to Reuters.

In Hmeimim, Reuters saw Russian soldiers walking around the base normally and planes in hangars.

Satellite images taken on December 9 by Planet Labs showed at least three vessels of the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean (two guided missile frigates and a tanker) moored about 13 kilometers (8 miles) northwest of Tartus.