Surprise: Putin Says Russia To Withdraw Troops From Syria
Image by Getty Images
In a surprise move, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a military withdrawal from Syria.
Saying its intervention, launched in 2015, has mostly achieved its goals, Putin said Monday the pullout of most of Russia’s forces will begin Tuesday, according to Reuters.
Russia will keep its Hmeimim airbase and its longtime Tartus naval base in Syria, however.
Putin said the decision to leave was made in coordination with Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose government Russia has backed in a civil war that has lasted more than five years. Assad said in a statement that Russia has promised to continue helping Syria in “combating terrorism.”
Putin’s announcements comes on the eve of new peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
