ministerMoscow, Dec 22 (AFP) Russian Defence Minister SergeiShoigu today said the military has completed the partialwithdrawal from Syria ordered by President Vladimir Putin,ending over two years of active involvement in the conflict.
"Your order to withdraw the contingent of Russian forcesfrom Syria has been carried out," Shoigu said during a meetingof top Russian military brass in Moscow.
He said a total of 36 planes and four helicopters havereturned to their permanent bases, while 157 motor vehicleswere delivered to Russia by sea.
Special forces troops, a medical unit, a battalion ofmilitary police, doctors and deminers have been brought backto Russia, he added.
Putin made a surprise visit to Syria last week where heordered the start of a pullout of Russian troops, saying theirtask in the war-torn country had been largely completed.
Russia became involved in the multi-front conflict inSeptember 2015, when it began an aerial campaign in support ofPresident Bashar al-Assad's military. It acknowledged inrecent months that its special forces are also active on theground in the offensive against Islamic State jihadists.
Three battalions of military police and officers of theRussian Centre for Reconciliation will remain in Syria, Shoiguadded, as well as its two bases in the country.
"Our two bases, the aviation group at the Hmeimimaerodrome and the material-technical navy base in Tartusremain according to international treaties," Shoigu said.
This week Russia's lower house of parliament ratified anagreement with Damascus to expand the naval facility inTartus. The Senate is expected to ratify the deal next week.
Shoigu also said that Russian military ships andsubmarines armed with "high-precision weapons" will remainpermanently present in the Mediterranean. (AFP)KIS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.