Russia’s Putin makes surprise visit to Syria amid US-Iran tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a surprise visit to Syria’s capital, Damascus, meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and observing “signs of peaceful life” in the city.
The two leaders met at the command center of the Russian forces in the Arab country’s capital on Tuesday, just a few hours after Putin’s plane landed in the Damascus International Airport, Syria’s official news agency SANA reported.
According to RT, at the meeting, Putin and Assad listened to reports by military officials on the conditions on the ground in various regions of Syria, which has been receiving assistance from Russia in the form of counter-terrorism airstrikes since September 2015.
During their meeting, the Russian president told Assad that “signs of peaceful life are visible to the naked eye on the streets of Damascus,” according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
“In his conversation with Assad, Putin noted that we can now say with confidence that a huge distance has been traveled toward restoring Syrian statehood and the country’s territorial integrity,” Peskov further quoted the Russian leader as saying.
The Russian airstrikes have helped Syrian forces clear nearly all of the Arab country from the presence of foreign-backed militants, who began a reign of terror there in 2011.
During his visit, Putin also hailed the latest advances made by Syrian government forces.
According to the Kremlin, the Russian president will visit several facilities in the Arab country during the trip.
The last time Putin visited Syria was in December 2017, when he only briefly stopped at the Russian base of Hmeimim on the Mediterranean coast.
Five Syrians killed in Israeli airstrikes on al-Qusayr near Homs
One killed, several injured in Israeli offensives in Syria
US base in eastern Syria comes under rocket attack
Iran among top nuclear technology countries: AEOI chief
Democrats 'risk losing' election for backing Israeli war on Gaza, Lebanon: US journalist
Protesters remove busts of Israel's first president from Manchester Univ.
VIDEO | Hezbollah drones
US involvement in Israel’s 'regional war' unconstitutional, lawmakers tell Biden
107 years of Balfour Declaration that paved way for extermination of Palestinians
Hezbollah strikes Israeli military base near Tel Aviv
Palestinian media rights group condemns killing of two journalists by Israel
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
