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Syria to take back Tartous and Hmeimim military bases from Russia
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Russia will relinquish control of two strategic Mediterranean bases in Syria, the Hmeimem air base and the Tartus naval base, which will become joint Russia-Syrian training centers under a new bilateral agreement.
- The agreement marks a significant shift in Russian military presence, transitioning control of the Hmeimem air base and Tartus commercial port berth to Syrian civil administration while maintaining joint military training operations.
- This development follows the ousting of President Bashar Assad in December 2024 by Islamist insurgents, with Assad now in exile in Russia; Russian troops have largely withdrawn except for those at these bases.
- Syria's interim leadership under President Ahmad al-Sharaa seeks to preserve strong ties with Moscow, with al-Sharaa having met President Putin twice to discuss the future of these key military installations.
- Russia has not publicly commented on the agreement, which represents a new phase in Syrian-Russian relations after years of close alliance during Syria’s civil war.
