Russian troops continue to operate at Khmeimim Air Base in Syria

KHMEIMIM, Syria (AA) – Russian forces stationed at Khmeimim Air Base in Syria’s Latakia province continue to carry out activities despite the fall of the Bashar Assad regime.

With the Baath regime’s collapse, Russia continued to transfer its troops from Damascus, Homs and other cities across Syria to the base.

Russian military vehicles were seen entering the base and a cargo plane was seen landing there as surveillance balloons gathered intelligence and helicopters were on patrol.

Airstrips, air defense systems and other vital military equipment are located at the base.

– Russia evacuates diplomats from Syria –

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday saying it had evacuated part of its diplomatic staff from Syria via a special flight of the Russian Air Force from Khmeimim Air Base.

The flight to Moscow carried some Russian diplomats from Damascus as well as some from Belarus and North Korea, it said.

The Foreign Ministry statement added that the Russian Embassy in Damascus is still operational.

Bashar Assad, who ruled Syria with an iron fist for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on December 8 after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters captured key cities across the country in a swift offensive that lasted less than two weeks.

Syria had been embroiled in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime brutally cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.