Russia begins withdrawal from Syria

15/03/2016| IslamWeb

Russia's defense ministry announced on Tuesday that its airbase in Syria was preparing aircraft to return home following a pull-out order from President Vladimir Putin.

The statement came a day after Putin announced the withdrawal of most Russian forces from Syria, timing his move to coincide with the ‘resumption of Syria peace talks’ in Geneva.

Moscow did not indicate when the first planes were scheduled to leave nor how many aircraft and troops would be withdrawn.

The number of Russian soldiers in Syria has never been revealed, but US estimates suggest it varies from 3,000 to 6,000 military personnel on the ground.

With Russia's main goals in Syria achieved, the withdrawal will allow Putin to pose as a peacemaker and help ease tensions with NATO member Turkey and the Gulf monarchies vexed by Moscow's military action.

At the same time, Putin made it clear that Russia will maintain its airbase and a naval facility in Syria and keep some troops there. Syria's state news agency also quoted Assad as saying that the Russian military will draw down its air force contingent but won't leave the country altogether.

Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr said Russia's move should be viewed as a message to the West that it does not want open-ended involvement. But she noted Moscow's military presence remains significant.

"We have to remember this is not an end to the military presence. The fact the S-400 defense system is still on the ground means Russia is still the main external player in Syria," Khodr said.

Russian forces have killed more than 2,000 Syrians since the start of the operation in late September.

Donald Jensen, a former US diplomat who worked in Moscow, told Al Jazeera despite the pull-out announcement, Russia still fully backs its ally Assad.

A fragile ceasefire has largely held since February 27, and humanitarian aid deliveries have resumed in recent weeks.

PHOTO CAPTION

Hundreds of Aleppo residents took advantage of the ceasefire on Friday to protest under the slogan "The Revolution Continues" in an opposition-held area of Aleppo.

Al-Jazeera