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Russia close to deal with rebels to keep bases in Syria

2024-12-12 20:19:25Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
The port of Tartus in Syria and the Russian ships before departure

Russia is close to reaching a deal to retain control of two military bases in Syria after talks with rebels who toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad last week, Kremlin officials hope.

Sources in Moscow, Europe and the Middle East said the Kremlin believes it has an "informal understanding" that it can retain control of the bases.

A source warned Bloomberg that the deal was weak and "could still change amid instability in Syria."

Neither the Kremlin nor Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which defeated Assad, have commented on this. However, Turkey is a supporter of HTS and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is on good terms with Vladimir Putin.

Russia close to deal with rebels to keep bases in Syria
The port of Tartus in Syria and the Russian ships after their departure

Russia's two bases, the Tartus naval base and the Khmeimim air base, are considered vital to the Kremlin's plans to project force, power and prestige across the Mediterranean Sea and into Africa.

Russian foreign ministry officials have said they are focused on "ensuring the security of Russian citizens and assets in Syria."

Satellite images have shown that Russia has, at least temporarily, abandoned its Tartus naval base in Syria since HTS fighters marched on Damascus almost unopposed.

Five Russian warships, including three frigates and at least one submarine, were photographed in the port of Tartus last week but had left on Monday.

The warships were in a holding port 10 miles off the Syrian coast, out of range of rebel artillery and drone attacks, images released by US-based Maxar showed.

MarineTraffic data also showed that no ships had docked or departed Tartus since Monday.

Moscow has not commented, but bloggers and military propagandists confirmed that the Kremlin had withdrawn its warship from Tartus, The Telegraph reports.

The sources also said Moscow withdrew its fighter jets from Khmeimim air base, 75 miles north of Tartus, while opening negotiations with HTS commanders.

Russia close to deal with rebels to keep bases in Syria
Russian ships leaving the port of Tartus, Syria

Anastasia Kashevarova, a Russian pro-war propagandist, told her 250,000 followers on Telegram that rebel fighters had surrounded Russian bases in Syria.

"Currently, negotiations on Syria are underway between Russia, Turkey, Iran and others," she said. "The issue of Russian military bases in Syria is open."

Putin is desperate to maintain control of his military bases in Syria, where Moscow intervened to support Assad during the civil war in 2015.

The Tartus Naval Base has been the mainstay of Russia's operations in the Mediterranean Sea and across Africa. It is the only naval base in the region that the Kremlin controls independently and has been its main "replenishment and repair" center.

Analysts have said the Kremlin also maintained a "well-armed naval squadron" in Tartus.

Built by the Soviet Union in 1971, Putin expanded Tartus in 2015 after his intervention in Syria to challenge the West in Africa, where he has since encouraged a series of coups by client rebel commanders and deployed mercenaries.

Khmeimim air base played a significant role in defeating the rebels in 2015. Russian forces launched carpet bombing missions from the base, killing thousands of civilians and destroying rebel positions.

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