Tartus:
Russia is withdrawing its army from the front lines in northern Syria and from posts in the Alawite Mountains, but is not abandoning its two main bases in the country after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, four Syrian officials told Reuters.
The ouster of Assad, who had forged a close alliance with Moscow with his late father, former President Hafez al-Assad, has thrown the future of Russia's bases – Hmeimim air base in Latakia and the Tartous naval facility – into doubt.
Satellite images from Friday showed what appeared to be at least two Antonov AN-124s, one of the largest cargo planes in the world, at the Hmeimim base with their nose cones open, apparently ready 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 troops from the front lines and withdrawing heavy equipment and senior Syrian officers.
But the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said Russia is not withdrawing from its two main bases and currently has no plans to do so.
Some equipment is being returned to Moscow, as are very senior officers of Assad's army, but the aim at this stage is to regroup and redeploy as dictated by developments on the ground, a senior Syrian army officer contacted said. states with the Russian army to Reuters.
A senior rebel official close to the new interim government told Reuters that the issue of Russia's military presence in Syria and previous agreements between the Assad government and Moscow were not under discussion.
“It is a matter for future talks and the Syrian people will have the final say,” the official said, adding that Moscow had set up communication channels.
“Our forces are now also in the immediate vicinity of the Russian bases in Latakia,” he added, without elaborating.
The Kremlin has said Russia is in talks with Syria's new rulers over the bases. The Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment on Reuters' reporting.
A Russian source speaking on condition of anonymity said talks with Syria's new rulers were ongoing and that 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 – saw the long-term future of the Russian bases.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose 2015 intervention in Syria's civil war helped shore up Assad as the West called for his overthrow, granted Assad asylum in Russia after Moscow helped him flee on Sunday.
BASES
Moscow has supported Syria since the start of the Cold War and recognized its independence in 1944, when Damascus tried to abolish French colonial rule. The West has long regarded Syria as 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 recovery and supply center in the Mediterranean, with Hmeimim a key staging post for military and mercenary activities in Africa.
According to Syrian military and Western intelligence sources, Russia also has listening posts in Syria that function alongside Syrian signal stations.
The Tartous facility dates back to 1971 and after Russia intervened in the civil war to help Assad, Moscow was given 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 Al Khadim airbase in Libya.
On the highway connecting Hmeimim air base with the base in Tartous, a Russian convoy of infantry fighting vehicles and logistics vehicles could be seen driving towards the air base, a Reuters journalist said.
The convoy had stopped due to a malfunction on one of the vehicles, with soldiers standing by the vehicles and working to repair the problem.
“Whether it is the Russian, Iranian or the previous government that oppressed us and denied us our rights… we do not want any intervention from Russia, Iran or any other foreign intervention,” said Ali Halloum, from Latakia and living in Jablah, told Reuters.
In Hmeimim, Reuters saw Russian soldiers walking normally around the base and planes in the hangars.
Satellite images taken on December 9 by Planet Labs showed at least three ships from Russia's Mediterranean Fleet – two guided missile frigates and an oiler – moored around 13 km (8 miles) northwest of Tartous.
(This story has not been edited by Our staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)