Russian jets bomb Syria as withdrawal begins

At least 26 people were killed east of the Islamic State-held city of Palmyra yesterday as Syrian troops backed by Russian air strikes staged attacks near the town a day after Russia started a military withdrawal from Syria.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syrian conflict, said the air strikes hit along the road between the historic city of Palmyra and a town to its east, al-Sukhna.

A number of Russian warplanes flew home from Syria yesterday as Moscow started to withdraw forces that have tipped the war in President Bashar al-Assad’s favour.

As the first aircraft touched down in Russia, UN special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s surprise move a “significant development” towards resolving a crisis which this week passes its fifth anniversary.

Iranian support

While Mr Assad’s opponents hope Putin’s announcement on Monday that most Russian forces would be withdrawn signalled a shift in his support, its full significance is not yet clear: Russia is keeping an airbase and an undeclared number of forces in Syria.

Mr Assad also still enjoys military backing from Iran, which has sent forces to Syria along with Lebanon’s Hizbullah.

Russia said last month that Mr Assad was out of step with its diplomacy, prompting speculation Mr Putin is pushing him to be more flexible at the Geneva peace talks that began this week, where his government has ruled out discussion of the presidency or a negotiated transfer of power.

Damascus has dismissed any talk of differences with its ally and says the planned withdrawal was co-ordinated and the result of army gains on the ground.

British foreign secretary Philip Hammond, whose government supports the opposition, indicated the gaps in Western understanding of Putin, saying he had “no insight at all into Russia’s strategy” after a decision that came out of the blue.

The West had been equally surprised by Putin’s decision to intervene. “Unfortunately none of us knows what the intent of Mr Putin is when he carries out any action, which is why he is a very difficult partner in any situation like this,” he said. Analysts in Moscow said Putin’s acquisition of a seat at the diplomatic top table may have motivated his move to scale back his costly Syria campaign.

Religious icon

Russian television showed the first group of Russia’s Su-34 fighter plane task force returning from Syria and landing at an airbase in southern Russia yesterday. Between 200 and 300 servicemen, journalists and women greeted the pilots with Russian flags, balloons in red, white and blue, and flowers. Two priests also attended the event, parading a religious icon.

At least six pilots in white helmets and aviator jackets were seen departing from about three aircraft. They were mobbed by the crowd before being thrown in the air in celebration.

A brass band played Soviet military songs, including the Stalin-era March of the Aviators, and the Russian national anthem.

Russia said however that it would keep its most advanced air defence system, the S-400, in Syria. The Russian air campaign that started at the end of September has focused mostly on insurgents battling Mr Assad in western Syria, helping Damascus and allies including Lebanon’s Hizbullah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards to reclaim important ground near the borders with Turkey and Jordan. – (Reuters)