Hmeymim Airbase, Tartus Center Suppress Terrorism in Syria, Neighbors

The Tartus naval facility and the Hmeymim airbase in Syria help suppress terrorism in Syria's neighbors, the Russian General Staff revealed.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian Aerospace Forces base in Syria’s Hmeymim and the logistics center in Tartus allow to suppress terrorism in Syria and neighboring countries, the Russian General Staff said Wednesday.

"In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that at the present time, the logistics center of the Navy in Tartus and the aviation group of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Hmeymim continue functioning. This allows to maintain the strategic balance in the region and suppress the proliferation of terrorist groups in Syria and neighboring countries," chief of the Main Operational Directorate Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said at the VI Moscow Conference on International Security.

Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front and Daesh, banned in a range of countries, including Russia.

Since September 2015, the Russian Aerospace Forces have been carrying out airstrikes in Syria targeted at terrorist positions at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad. In March 2016, the biggest part of Russian air forces left Syria in line with the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin, following successful task fulfillment.

Earlier in the day, Rudskoi said Moscow has withdrawn almost a half of its air group from Syria.

Putin announced in December that the Syrian government and armed opposition groups had reached an agreement on a nationwide ceasefire in Syria and on readiness to start peace talks.