Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base will grow to be joint coaching and capacity-building centres underneath the settlement.
Printed On 9 Aug 2026
Syria says it has reached a cope with Moscow on the way forward for Russia’s two army bases within the nation, which had been used to assist ousted President Bashar al-Assad throughout the Syrian struggle.
Syria’s official SANA information company quoted the International Ministry as saying on Sunday that the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base can be was “joint coaching and capacity-building centres” underneath new preparations geared toward preserving mutual pursuits.
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The memorandum of understanding, reached after a 12 months and a half of negotiations, units a deadline of not more than three months to finish the transition, SANA stated.
Within the meantime, civilian services at each bases will probably be handed over to Damascus.
Russia has but to formally touch upon the settlement.
Each the Hmeimim and Tartus bases had remained operational whereas talks had been ongoing.
Whereas this memorandum of understanding might have come as a shock to some, Syria’s authorities is utilizing it to ship “a transparent message that the central authorities in Damascus is in command of all belongings that belong to Syria and are a part of Syrian territory,” stated Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto, reporting from Damascus.
Briefly, Damascus is affirming that “its nationwide sovereignty will not be up for negotiation,” stated Hitto.
Syrian International Minister Asaad al-Shaibani visited the websites on Sunday “to examine the services and installations included within the historic memorandum of understanding”, based on SANA.
Russia was a key Assad ally throughout Syria’s 13-year civil struggle, serving to to maintain the previous chief in energy by offering important army assist.
Assad’s ouster in 2024 dealt a serious blow to Moscow’s affect within the area.
President Vladimir Putin has since labored to construct relations together with his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa to safe the way forward for Russia’s solely two official army bases outdoors the previous Soviet Union.
“Russia has considerably downgraded its army presence from over 100 army bases to simply these two positions on the Syrian coast,” stated Al Jazeera’s Hitto.
“Now that these positions are going to be augmented in phrases which are acceptable to either side, based on a press release by the Ministry of International Affairs, it’s going to grow to be clearer within the coming weeks what sort of army presence Russia will preserve right here in Syria.”
Syria has additionally expressed a willingness to cooperate with Moscow, with Putin receiving Sharaa twice in Moscow since taking energy.
Throughout Sharaa’s last visit in January, Putin stated “a lot has been achieved when it comes to restoring our interstate relations”, commending Sharaa for his “efforts to revive Syria’s territorial integrity”.
Whereas Sharaa praised Russia’s “historic position” in Syria and the area, Damascus has repeatedly demanded that it extradite Assad, who has been sheltering in Moscow together with his spouse since his ouster.
