Russia pulls troops from Qamishli airbase in Syria
REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
The Kremlin has begun withdrawing its remaining forces from the Qamishli air base in northeastern Syria, five Syrian sources told Reuters on Jan. 26.
Russia first deployed troops to Qamishli in 2019, sending a relatively small contingent compared with those at its Khmeimim air base and the naval facility at Tartus. Both Khmeimim and Tartus are expected to remain under Russian control for now.
The pullback started last week. Some units are being redeployed to Khmeimim; others are heading home to Russia. Over the past two days, Syrian security officials said, Russian military hardware has been flown out of Qamishli to Khmeimim.
Despite the drawdown, Russian flags still fly over the base, and two Russian-marked aircraft remain on the runway, according to a Reuters journalist.
“Russia, a close ally of Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad, has established ties with Sharaa since he seized power some 14 months ago,” the report notes.
Earlier this month, Russian state media quoted an unnamed Syrian source as saying Damascus might ask Moscow to remove its troops from Qamishli “since they have nothing to do there.” Under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, government forces recently reclaimed significant territory in northern and eastern Syria.
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