Shafaq News– Damascus
Russian forces have started a phased withdrawal from Qamishli Airport, relocating personnel and equipment to the Khmeimim Air Base in Syria’s coastal Latakia province, a security source told Shafaq News on Monday.
The source explained that the evacuation began on January 23, 2026, under a decision to clear the site of Russian presence. The first stage involved two Russian Ilyushin cargo aircraft transporting heavy equipment and logistical units from the airport to the base.
Subsequent operations included the transfer of technical vehicles and individual soldiers. The process culminated on Monday with the relocation of what he described as the “elite team,” identified as the final Russian contingent stationed at the airport.
According to the source, the redeployment was carried out under a coordinated relocation plan and in coordination with the Syrian and US sides.
Russia has maintained a military presence in Syria since 2015 at the request of the Syrian regime under Bashar Al-Assad, operating mainly from three strategic sites: the Khmeimim Air Base, the Tartus naval facility on the Mediterranean, and the Qamishli Air Base in northeastern Syria.
Following the fall of the al-Assad regime in December 2024 and the advance of Syrian government forces into areas previously under Kurdish administration, control over parts of Hasakah province, including areas around Qamishli, shifted back toward Damascus, bringing Russian military bases in northeastern Syria under the security and administrative frameworks of the central government.