More reports of Russian military pulling out of southern Syria
A column of Russian military vehicles has been seen withdrawing from southern Syria towards the Tartous military base in the coastal city of Latakia.
The Associated Press reported on Friday that Russian military convoys were seen on the Damascus-Homs highway near Shinshar village heading north. The vehicles appear to include tanks and armoured personnel carriers that were previously stationed in southern regions of Syria such as Deraa and Damascus.
Videos posted to social media appeared to capture elements of the withdrawal that comes amidst speculation about whether Russia will be able to negotiate a new agreement to keep its Syrian military bases with the new government after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that Russian forces were leaving bases in Ain Issa and Tel al-Saman in the Raqqah countryside on Thursday. Earlier this week, all Russian naval ships departed the Syrian port of Tartous, according to a US official.
The Russian military appears to be packing up equipment at a military airbase in Syria, according to satellite images released by Maxar.
The images, taken on Friday, show what appear to be at least two Antonov An-124s, one of the world’s largest cargo planes, with their nose cones open at the Hmeimim airbase in Syria’s coastal Latakia province.
This handout satellite image released by Maxar Technologies on December 13, 2024, shows an Antonov An-124 heavy transport aircraft preparing to load equipment at the Russian Hmeimim airbase in Syria’s western province of Latakia
Images also show what appears to be a Ka-52 attack helicopter being dismantled and likely prepared for transport, as well as Russian frigates sailing off the coast of Syria.
Russian forces in central and southern Syria gathered in Qudssaya near Damascus before the fall of the al-Assad regime and are also withdrawing to the Hmeimim airbase and the port of Tartous.
A satellite image shows a Russian Admiral Gorshkov-class frigate off the coast of Tartous, Syria, amid the apparent Russian withdrawal on December 13
Official says Russian cargo plane departed Syria for Libya: Report
The plane has taken off from Russia’s airbase in Latakia for Libya, a Syrian security official stationed outside the facility has told the Reuters news agency. The official stationed at the gate told Reuters that additional Russian departures from the Hmeimim airbase in Syria’s coastal Latakia province are expected in the coming days.
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