Russia is likely to maintain a military presence in Syria despite calls for a withdrawal of Moscow’s forces from the country, according to reports.
Russia has a military naval facility in the Tartous and an airbase further up the coast in Latakia; both bases were key to Russia’s military assault on opposition areas in Syria, amid Moscow’s intervention to bolster Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.
Despite anger over the continued presence of Russian troops in Syria, reports indicate that a full withdrawal of Moscow’s forces will not take place.
The new Syrian administration, led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa, could now agree to allow Russia to maintain a scaled-down presence in Latakia’s Hmeimum airbase and Tartous naval facility, including personnel and equipment, despite Syrians demanding a full withdrawal, sources told Bloomberg.
This would be a major win for President Vladimir Putin, who has been keen to expand Moscow’s military footprint in the MENA region and Africa with Russian bases in Libya and the Sahel.
Despite being at war over the past decade, the Syrian government – made up of former rebels – and Russia have been engaged in dialogue including high-level talks over the future of Moscow-Damascus relations and Russia’s military presence in Syria.
Last Wednesday, Al-Sharaa and Putin spoke by phone following the visit to Damascus of a high-level Russian delegation.
Russia has reportedly downscaled its military presence at Hmeimim and Tartous, while talks on the future of the facilities are ongoing.
Russia played a key role in propping up the Assad regime since its intervention in the Syria war in September 2014, hitting hospitals, homes, and emergency responders.
There is also anger in Syria about Russia’s role in evacuating and hosting former President Bashar Al-Assad from Syria, with calls for the dictator to stand trial for war crimes.
The EU and US have urged the new Syrian administration to expel Russian forces from the country, despite Washington enforcing punishing sanctions on Damascus.
