Putin orders partial withdrawal of military personnel from Syria
Associated Press
MOSCOW — Declaring a victory in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday visited a Russian military air base in the country and announced a partial pullout of Russian forces from the Mideast nation.
Mr. Putin’s surprise visit marked his first trip to Syria, drawing a symbolic line under the campaign that has shored up President Bashar Assad’s government. It was also the first visit by a foreign head of state to warravaged Syria since its bloodletting started nearly seven years ago.
Mr. Putin’s brief stop at the Hemeimeem air base in Syria’s coastal province of Latakia while on route to Egypt came days after the Russian president declared his bid to run for re-election in the March 18 vote, helping encourage the feelings of pride about Russia’s revived global clout and prestige.
It also followed the Russian announcement last week that the Syrian army, with the help of Russian airstrikes, routed the Islamic State group in eastern Syria and fully restored control over the country’s border with Iraq.
In a televised speech to the Russian troops at the base, the Russian leader hailed their “excellent” performance in Syria.
“You have shown the best qualities of a Russian soldier — courage, valor, team spirit, decisiveness and excellent skills,” Mr. Putin said. “The Motherland is proud of you.”
Russia launched its air campaign in Syria at the end of September 2015, when Mr. Assad’s government was teetering, and quickly changed the course of the conflict in his favor. Russian officials say troops in Syria were there mainly to fight “terrorists” including militants of IS and al-Qaida affiliates, but they also heavily targeted other rebel factions opposed to Mr. Assad, allowing his troops to claw back significant territory over the past two years.
Russian television stations showed Mr. Putin walking off the plane at the air base, embracing and shaking hands with Mr. Assad.
The Hemeimeem base, in a region that is the heartland of Mr. Assad’s Alawite minority, has served as the main foothold for the Russian military campaign in Syria.
“Here in Syria, far away from our borders, you helped the Syrian people to preserve their state and fend off attacks by terrorists,” Mr. Putin said, facing the troops lined up on the tarmac.
“You have dealt a devastating blow to those who blatantly threatened our country. We will never forget about the victims who fell in the fight against terror both here and in Russia.”
In his speech, Mr. Putin also said that he had ordered the military to withdraw a “significant part” of the Russian contingent in Syria, but the Russian military will maintain its presence at Hemeimeem and the naval facility in Tartus.