Putin visits Syria, orders pullout of Russian troops

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – President of Russia Vladimir Putin on Monday arrived in Syria in an unannounced visit and called for a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from the country.

Putin met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Russian Hmeimim air base, according to Interfax news agency.

The Russian President had already stated in March 2016 that he would withdraw most of the Russian forces stationed in Syria.

Putin is also expected to visit Egypt and Turkey.

“I order the defense minister and the chief of general staff to start withdrawing Russian ground troops to return to their permanent bases,” RIA Novosti news agency quoted him as saying.

“I have taken a decision: a significant part of the Russian forces contingent located in Syria is returning home to Russia,” Putin added.

He also mentioned that if “terrorists raise their heads again,” Russia would “carry out such strikes on them which they have never seen.”

“We will never forget the victims and losses suffered in the fight against terror both here in Syria and also in Russia,” Russia’s President added.

In the past few years, Russia has played a decisive role in providing aerial cover in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) and preventing the Syrian government from falling after being weakened in the protracted civil war which erupted in 2011.

Editing by Nadia Riva