Anti-government and jihadist fighters trying to overthrow President Bashar Assad's regime in Syria have provided security for Russian military bases and diplomatic facilities in the country, a Kremlin source told TASS news agency.
Jihadist fighters from Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) and the US-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) attacked the capital Damascus on December 7, as the Syrian army retreated and Mr. Assad fled the country to seek refuge in Russia.
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, a former al-Qaeda commander, declared victory in a televised speech on December 8, saying, “the future is ours.”
Speaking to Russia's TASS news agency late on December 8, an unnamed Kremlin source said Russian officials "are in contact with representatives of the Syrian armed opposition."
These representatives “have ensured the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic institutions on Syrian territory,” the source said, adding that “we hope to continue political dialogue in the interests of the Syrian people and develop bilateral relations between Russia and Syria.”
Russia intervened in Syria's civil war in 2015, helping President Assad regain control of the country from the self-proclaimed Islamic State and a host of foreign-sponsored militias and jihadists.
This time, Moscow did not deploy forces to stop the HTS and FSA offensive. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Assad had decided to leave power peacefully after secret talks with several opposition groups. The ministry also noted that “Russia is not involved in these negotiations.”
Russia began building the Khmeimim air base near Latakia shortly after it backed Mr Assad in 2015. Since then, the Russian air force has used the facility to launch strikes against IS and other terrorist groups in Syria, as well as to transport supplies and weapons into the country.
Khmeimim air base is located about 60 kilometers from Russia's Tartus naval facility, which was built by the Soviet Union in 1971. Russia signed a 50-year lease on the facility in 2017, giving Moscow full sovereignty over the base and allowing the Russian Navy to station up to 11 ships there.
Both facilities were put on high alert during the rebel advance on Damascus, but “there is currently no serious threat to the security of the bases,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
