Russia Pulls Out From Syria After 'Closing Gates' Between Turkey, Daesh

The decision to pull Russia's air group out of Syria was made after Moscow had "closed the gates" between Turkey and Daesh, a lawmaker and a member of the French legislative defense commission told Sputnik on Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova — Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to start withdrawing the Russian air group from Syria on Tuesday, as it had completed the assigned task.

"I think that Russians have reached their goals in Syria closing the gates between Turkey and Daesh, opening the gates for the Syrian army to Aleppo, strengthening protection of the Russian navy base in Tartus and getting back within a big game in the Middle East," Nicolas Dhuicq said.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with opposition factions and Islamist terrorist groups fighting the Syrian Army.

Damascus, as well as Moscow, has repeatedly accused Ankara of providing troops, weapons, intelligence data and financial support to the terrorists, while buying smuggled oil.

The Russian Aerospace Forces have been conducting an aerial campaign against terrorist groups in Syria, particularly Daesh, which is outlawed in Russia, since September 30, 2015, at Damascus' request.