Putin says Russia to permanently keep air base and naval facility in Syria
MOSCOW, Dec 11 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia would keep its Hmeymim air base in Syria’s Latakia Province as well as its naval facility at Tartous “on a permanent basis” despite a decision to start pulling some of its forces out of Syria.
Putin on Monday ordered Russian forces in Syria to start withdrawing, saying that after a two year military campaign, Moscow and Damascus had achieved their mission of destroying Islamic State. (Reporting by Andrey Ostroukh; Writing by Polina Nikolskaya; Editing by Andrew Osborn)