Moscow: Russian warplanes have started to leave Syria - News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff

by News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff

In surprise move, Russian president announces withdrawal from Syria • "The effective work of our military created the conditions for the start of the peace process," Vladimir Putin says • U.S. official: We are encouraged by Putin's announcement.

Russia's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that the first group of warplanes stationed at the Russian air base in Syria has left for home following a pullout order from President Vladimir Putin.

The development came as U.N.-brokered Syria peace talks between Syrian President Bashar Assad's government and the opposition were to resume for a second day in Geneva.

Putin announced the withdrawal of most of the Russian forces from Syria on Monday night, timing his move to coincide with the resumption of the talks in Geneva.

The Defense Ministry said the first group of warplanes to depart included an unspecified number of Su-34 fighter jets, accompanied by a military transport aircraft. The planes would be making stops at airfields in Russia for refueling and technical checks since some of them are stationed more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) away from the Syrian base, the ministry said.

Putin didn't specify how many aircraft and troops would be withdrawn. Russia has not revealed how many soldiers it has deployed to Syria, where it maintains a naval facility as well as an air base, but U.S. estimates of the number of Russian military personnel vary from 3,000 to 6,000.

Russia has deployed more than 50 jets and helicopters to its Khmeimim air base, in Syria's coastal province of Latakia.

The head of the defense committee in Russia's upper house of parliament, Viktor Ozerov, said Tuesday that he estimated about 1,000 Russian military personnel would remain in Syria at the two bases, the Interfax news agency reported.

Ozerov said Russia would need a minimum of two battalions, a total of 800 troops, to protect the two bases. In addition, Russia would continue to conduct air reconnaissance, requiring some of the plane crews to remain, and the military specialists advising the Syrian army would also stay, he said.

He said Russia would keep its long-range S-400 air defense missiles at the base. Russia deployed the powerful system in November after Turkey downed a Russian jet along the Syrian border.

Damascus rejected any suggestion of a rift with Moscow, saying President Bashar Assad had agreed to the "reduction" of Russian forces in a telephone call with Putin.

Western diplomats speculated that Putin may be trying to press Assad into accepting a political settlement to the war, which has killed 250,000 people since March 15, 2011. 

The anti-Assad opposition expressed bafflement at the Russian announcement, with a spokesman saying, "Nobody knows what is in Putin's mind."

Russia's military intervention in Syria in September helped to turn the tide of war in Assad's favor after months of gains in western Syria by rebel fighters, who were aided by foreign military supplies including U.S.-made anti-tank missiles.

Putin made his surprise announcement, that came with no advance word to the United States, at a meeting with his defense and foreign ministers.

Russian forces had largely fulfilled their objectives in Syria, Putin said. But he gave no deadline for the completion of the withdrawal.

In Geneva, United Nations mediator Staffan de Mistura told the warring parties there was no Plan B other than a resumption of conflict if the first of three rounds of talks that aim to agree a "clear roadmap" for Syria failed to make progress.

Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama spoke by phone on Monday about Syria, with the Kremlin saying the two leaders "called for an intensification of the process for a political settlement" to the conflict.

The White House said Obama welcomed the reduction in violence since the beginning of the cessation of hostilities but "underscored that a political transition is required to end the violence in Syria."

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington was encouraged by Putin's announcement but that it was too early to say what it means, whether he will carry it out and what may have motivated it.

Putin said at the Kremlin meeting that he was ordering the withdrawal from Tuesday of "the main part of our military contingent" from the country.

"The effective work of our military created the conditions for the start of the peace process," he said. "I believe that the task put before the Defense Ministry and Russian armed forces has, on the whole, been fulfilled."

With the participation of the Russian military, Syrian armed forces "have been able to achieve a fundamental turnaround in the fight against international terrorism," he added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that while Putin called the Syrian president to inform him of the decision, the two leaders had not discussed Assad's future, the biggest obstacle to reaching a peace agreement.

In Damascus, the Syrian presidency issued a statement saying "The whole subject happened in complete coordination between the Russian and Syrian sides, and is a step that was carefully and accurately studied for some time." 

The statement added that Moscow had promised to continue support for Syria in "confronting terrorism." Syria regards all rebel groups fighting Assad as terrorists.

Rebels and opposition officials alike reacted skeptically.

"I don't understand the Russian announcement, it's a surprise, like the way they entered the war. God protect us," said Fadi Ahmad, spokesman for the First Coastal Division, a Free Syrian Army group fighting in the northwest.

Opposition spokesman Salim al-Muslat demanded a total Russian withdrawal. "Nobody knows what is in Putin's mind, but the point is he has no right to be in be our country in the first place. Just go," he said.

A European diplomat was also sceptical. "It has the potential to put a lot of pressure on Assad and the timing fits that," the diplomat said. "However, I say potentially because we've seen before with Russia that what's promised isn't always what happens."

The Geneva talks are the first in more than two years and come amid a marked reduction in fighting after last month's "cessation of hostilities," sponsored by Washington and Moscow and accepted by Assad's government and many of his foes.

Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, confirmed some forces would stay in Syria. "Our military presence will continue to be there, it will be directed mostly at making sure that the cease-fire, the cessation of hostilities, is maintained," he told reporters at the United Nations in New York.

But he added, "Our diplomacy has received marching orders to intensify our efforts to achieve a political settlement in Syria."

Speaking before Putin's announcement, de Mistura said Syria faced a moment of truth, as he opened talks to end a war which has displaced half the population, sent refugees streaming into Europe and turned Syria into a battlefield for foreign forces and jihadis.

The limited truce, which excludes the powerful Islamic State and Nusra Front groups, is fragile. The warring sides have accused each other of multiple violations and they arrived in Geneva with what look like irreconcilable agendas.

The Syrian opposition has said the talks must focus on setting up a transitional governing body with full executive power, and that Assad must leave power at the start of the transition. Damascus has said Assad's opponents are deluded if they think they will take power at the negotiating table.

News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=32439

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