Putin makes first visit to Syria, lauds victory over ISIS and announces withdrawals
Source: The Washington Post
By Andrew Roth December 11 at 7:09 AM
MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday made a surprise visit to Russias Khmeimim air base in Syria, announcing an imminent drawdown of Russian forces in the wake of his declaration of victory in its intervention in the Syria war.
In his first visit to the air base since Russian warplanes secretly flew to Syria in late 2015, Putin ordered his defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, to begin the withdrawal of Russian troop contingents to their permanent bases.
But Putin left open the door to a continued Russian presence in Syria, saying that both Russias air base at Khmeimim and naval base at Tartus would keep operating. He promised further strikes in the future if terrorists raise their head again an apparent reference to forces in Syrias long civil war that sought to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
We will deliver such strikes on them that they have not seen yet, he said in remarks to military personnel at the air base.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/putin-makes-first-visit-to-syria-lauds-victory-over-isis-and-announces-withdrawals/2017/12/11/f75389de-de61-11e7-8679-a9728984779c_story.html