Syria reaches basing agreement with Russia

A Syrian delegation tours Tartus port's Pier 4 with Russian military personnel. (Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates)

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on 9 August that it has reached an agreement with Moscow on the future of the latter's bases in its country, but it did not clearly explain what military presence Russia will maintain in the country.

In a statement released to the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) rather than its own communications channels, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said a memorandum of understanding had been reached under which “Syria will assume management of the facilities designated for civilian use, including Humaymim airport and the fourth commercial pier at Tartus port”.

SANA reported that the two sides have also agreed that Russian military bases will be “transformed into joint training and qualifications centres under new arrangement aimed at safeguarding the interests of both countries”. This transition will be made within three months.

The Russian military is only known to have retained two bases in Syria after the collapse of the Assad regime it was supporting in December 2024, one at Humaymim, the other at Tartus port.

Humaymim was the site of Bassel al-Assad International Airport (now renamed Latakia International Airport) and a Syrian airbase that the Russians took over when they deployed in 2015.

On the same day of the announcement, the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority released photographs of its head and Minister of Foreign Affairs Asaad al-Shaibani touring Latakia International Airport with Russian military personnel. The officials were only shown at the civilian terminal, raising the possibility that the Russians will retain a presence at the main airbase area to the north.