Syrian rebel leaders guaranteed the security of Russian military bases - TASS

The leaders of the groups that seized power in Syria gave guarantees of the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic missions in the country, TASS reports , citing a source in the Kremlin. “Russian officials are in contact with representatives of the armed Syrian opposition,” the agency’s interlocutor said.

The rebels fully control the coastal province of Latakia, where Russian bases are located (the Khmeimim airbase and the naval base in Tartus), TASS reported on the morning of December 9, citing a source in the region. “Since yesterday, the opposition has completely controlled the province of Latakia, including the cities of Tartus and Jebla. The armed forces of the opposition have not invaded and do not intend to invade the territory of Russian military bases, which operate normally,” the agency’s interlocutor said.

According to Flightradar24 data published by the OSINTtechnical project, on the night of December 8, several aircraft, including heavy military transport An-124 and Il-76, arrived at the air base in Khmeimim in Latakia, presumably for evacuation. The Black Sea Strategy Institute later reported that two Iranian transport planes landed at the Khmeimim base.

The day before, the rebels, without encountering resistance, captured the Syrian capital Damascus and announced the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Assad himself fled with his family and, according to a TASS source in the Kremlin, is now in Moscow. The Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that Assad had decided to leave the presidency after negotiations with the rebels and left the country, "with instructions to carry out the transfer of power peacefully."