Syrian Jihadist Leader Discusses Possible Ties with Russia
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani shares insights on the future of Syria's relations with Moscow. Read the full article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
**Russia’s Khmeimim and Tartus bases, leased until 2066, are still operating in Syria**
The head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, suggested that a relationship between Syria and Russia is possible if Moscow makes an effort toward that end.
During an interview on the Istanbul-based Syria TV channel on Saturday, al-Julani stated that “Syrian leadership was keen to avoid provoking Russia.”
The situation in Syria worsened significantly during a two-week period in November when HTS militants launched an offensive against government forces, capturing major cities and advancing towards Damascus. Following the collapse of the Syrian military, President Bashar al-Assad fled the country and sought asylum in Russia.
Al-Julani also mentioned that the new Syrian government is open to providing Russia “the opportunity to re-evaluate the relationship with Syria in a way that serves common interests.” He pointed out that this moment calls for “careful management” of relations with other countries.
According to sources familiar with ongoing discussions, Moscow and the Syrian militants are currently negotiating the maintenance of “Russia’s presence in Syria, and its previous status.” A report from TASS on Friday indicated that Moscow “has secured temporary security guarantees, so the military bases are operating as usual.”
The Khmeimim Air Base and a logistics support facility in Tartus are situated in the western region of Syria, along the Mediterranean coast. In 2017, an agreement was reached between Moscow and Damascus to station Russian troops at these bases for a duration of 49 years.
As militant groups gained control over Damascus, the status of the Khmeimim and Tartus bases became uncertain. However, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov revealed that Russian diplomats have already addressed these matters with the HTS political committee.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
The head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, suggested that a relationship between Syria and Russia is possible if Moscow makes an effort toward that end.
During an interview on the Istanbul-based Syria TV channel on Saturday, al-Julani stated that “Syrian leadership was keen to avoid provoking Russia.”
The situation in Syria worsened significantly during a two-week period in November when HTS militants launched an offensive against government forces, capturing major cities and advancing towards Damascus. Following the collapse of the Syrian military, President Bashar al-Assad fled the country and sought asylum in Russia.
Al-Julani also mentioned that the new Syrian government is open to providing Russia “the opportunity to re-evaluate the relationship with Syria in a way that serves common interests.” He pointed out that this moment calls for “careful management” of relations with other countries.
According to sources familiar with ongoing discussions, Moscow and the Syrian militants are currently negotiating the maintenance of “Russia’s presence in Syria, and its previous status.” A report from TASS on Friday indicated that Moscow “has secured temporary security guarantees, so the military bases are operating as usual.”
The Khmeimim Air Base and a logistics support facility in Tartus are situated in the western region of Syria, along the Mediterranean coast. In 2017, an agreement was reached between Moscow and Damascus to station Russian troops at these bases for a duration of 49 years.
As militant groups gained control over Damascus, the status of the Khmeimim and Tartus bases became uncertain. However, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov revealed that Russian diplomats have already addressed these matters with the HTS political committee.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
