Putin orders the Russian troops to withdrawal from Syria

The Russian president Putin was met by Syrian President Bashar Assad, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, when he arrived at the Hmeymim base in the Latakia province for the first time since the launch of the anti-terrorist operation in the Arab Republic at the request of Damascus in 2015.

The Russian president has also held a separate meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad at the base.

For his part, Assad has thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for the effective assistance in the country’s fight against terrorism.

The Syrian people would not forget the Russian servicemen after their blood mingled with the blood of the soldiers of the Syrian Arab army who died in the fight against terrorism, Assad stated, adding “This blood, shed on the Syrian land, confirms that they are stronger than terror, and the memory of the dead of both armies and their courage will be a guiding light for future generations.”

Russian President has ordered the withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria after over 2 years of an anti-terrorist aerial campaign conducted in the Arab Republic.

“I instruct the Defense Minister, the head of the General Staff to begin the withdrawal of the Russian troop contingents back to the places of their permanent location,” Putin said, when speaking to servicemen in Syria, saying that they have demonstrated “courage, heroism, coordination, determination, brilliant training and high professionalism”.

According to Putin, the work of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ units in Syria has been performed brilliantly and they are “returning home with victory.”

The president has underlined that with the help of Russia’s military operation, Syria has been preserved as an independent and sovereign state, adding that conditions for the political settlement in the country under the auspices of the UN have been created and the refugees, that had to flee their homes, may return.