Russia Reportedly Contact With Syrian Rebels, Hoping To Defend Military Bases

Russia's military in Syria. (Wikimedia Commons/Mil.ru/have a good look at it

JAKARTA - Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov on Thursday, Russia had direct contact with the political committee of the Syrian rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), with Moscow intending to defend its military base in Syria, Interfax reported.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov said contact with HTS, the country's most powerful armed group after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, "go in a constructive way".

Russia, he said, hopes the group will fulfill its promise to "protect from all excessive measures", maintain order, and ensure the safety of diplomats and other foreigners.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov said Russia hopes to maintain its two military bases in Syria - Naval Base in Tartous and Khmeimim Air Base near the port city of Latakia - to continue to fight international terrorism.

"The bases are still there, in Syria. No other decisions have yet been made at this time," he said.

"The bases are there at Syria's request with the aim of fighting terrorists from ISIS. I went on the basis that everyone agrees that the war against terrorism and what's left of ISIS is not over yet," said Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov.

To defend the war, he said, "require collective efforts and in this relationship, our presence and the Khmeimim base play an important role in the context of a comprehensive war against international terrorism."

Separately, another Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Vershinin and UN special envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen, called for action to destabilize the situation inside and around Syria, according to a statement on the website of the foreign ministry.

The statement said the two diplomats discussed by telephone to find a political settlement in a way that the Syrian people would determine and ensure Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.