Damascus [Syria], August 9 : Syria has reached an agreement with Moscow regarding the future of Russia's two military bases in the country, which were previously used to back ousted President Bashar al-Assad, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday, citing Syria's official SANA news agency.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry stated that the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base would be converted into "joint training and capacity-building centres" under new arrangements designed to preserve mutual interests. The memorandum of understanding, finalised after 18 months of negotiations, establishes a deadline of no more than three months to complete the transition.
During the interim period, civilian facilities located at both installations will be handed over to Damascus, Al Jazeera reported.
Russian authorities have yet to issue an official comment regarding the agreement.
Both the Hmeimim and Tartus facilities had remained fully operational while discussions were ongoing.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani visited the sites on Sunday "to inspect the facilities and installations included in the historic memorandum of understanding".
Moscow served as a crucial ally to ousted President Bashar al-Assad during Syria's 13-year civil war, providing essential military backing to maintain his regime's power, Al Jazeera reported.
Assad's removal in 2024 dealt a major setback to Moscow's strategic influence across the region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has since sought to build diplomatic ties with his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa to safeguard the future of Russia's only two official military bases outside the former Soviet Union.
Syria has similarly indicated a willingness to cooperate with Moscow, with Putin receiving Sharaa twice in Moscow since the transition of power, Al Jazeera reported.
During the Syrian President's previous visit in January, Putin remarked that "much has been accomplished in terms of restoring our interstate relations", while praising Sharaa for his "efforts to restore Syria's territorial integrity".
Although Sharaa commended Russia's "historic role" in Syria and the wider region, Damascus has consistently demanded that Moscow extradite Assad, who has been sheltering in the Russian capital with his wife since his ouster.