Video - Putin Orders Troop Withdrawal From Syria

During an unexpected short visit to a Russian air base in Syria today, President Vladimir Putin has ordered the start of his troops' withdrawal from the war-torn country now that the majority of fighting had ended.

According to Syrian state TV, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with Putin at Khmeimim Air Base southeast of Latakia.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">Асад и Шойгу встретили Путина на авиабазе &quot;Хмеймим&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2SkHrJg9Py">https://t.co/2SkHrJg9Py</a> <a href="https://t.co/BJ4BOxvwni">pic.twitter.com/BJ4BOxvwni</a></p>&mdash; РЕН ТВ | Новости (@rentvchannel) <a href="https://twitter.com/rentvchannel/status/940163297029980160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>

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Putin said that: "In general, the combat work in this territory is completed by the complete eradication of terrorists".

"I order the defense minister and the chief of general staff to start withdrawing the Russian group of troops to their permanent bases."

"I have taken a decision: a significant part of the Russian troop contingent located in Syria is returning home to Russia,"

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Putin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Putin</a> met Assad in surprise visit to Russian military base in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Syria</a>.<a href="https://t.co/IuXcwKkPBG">pic.twitter.com/IuXcwKkPBG</a></p>&mdash; Enrico Ivanov ☦ (@Russ_Warrior) <a href="https://twitter.com/Russ_Warrior/status/940176043532537857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>

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President Putin made the stop in Syria on his way to Egypt where is scheduled to meet President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to discuss future cooperation between Egypt and Russia and the role of the new Syrian regime.

Russia became the Syrian government’s main ally in the war when it started its intervention in September 2015. His forces have conducted air strikes on groups opposed to the government, including the Syrian National Coalition, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, known mostly as ISIS, the al-Nusra Front, and other rebel groups.

Before the military intervention, Russian involvement in the war had mainly consisted of supplying the Syrian army.

Source:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42307365