Russia Withdraws Some Diplomats from Syria
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Moscow, Dec 16 (NationPress) Russia has withdrawn a portion of its diplomats from the Syrian capital Damascus, while its embassy continues to operate, as stated by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The diplomats were transported via a Russian Aerospace Forces flight from the Khmeimim Air Base in Syria to Moscow, the Ministry announced on Sunday.
This flight also included diplomats from Belarus and North Korea, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
On December 15, the evacuation of a portion of the personnel from the Russian diplomatic mission in Damascus was executed through a special flight from the Khmeimim air base in Syria, according to the Ministry's crisis situations department on Telegram.
The Ministry confirmed that the flight landed at an airport near Moscow, although it did not disclose the number of individuals aboard.
The Russian embassy in Damascus remains functional, the press statement published on Telegram emphasized.
Following an 11-day offensive, a rebel coalition led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) succeeded in overthrowing Assad, who subsequently fled to Russia with his family.
This loss of power marked a significant blow for Moscow, which, alongside Iran, was a key ally of the former Syrian President and has been involved militarily in Syria since 2015.
The status of Russia's two military bases in Syria—the Tartus naval base and the Hmeimim military airfield—is now in doubt.
These bases are essential for Russia to maintain its influence in the Middle East, the Mediterranean basin, and extending as far as Africa.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson from the Kremlin indicated that Moscow was in communication with the new authorities in Syria regarding the future of these bases.
The British government has also had diplomatic engagements with the Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which now holds control over the country after ousting President Bashar al-Assad.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed this engagement, stating that HTS remains a designated terrorist organization, but the UK can maintain diplomatic contacts, which it does.
On Saturday, the US government also acknowledged having made direct contact with the HTS rebel group that has spearheaded the uprising and is currently in control of Damascus and most of Syria, as confirmed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
