Syria’s interim government has reached an agreement with Russia to take control of the Hmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval facility. The memorandum of understanding, announced on August 9, 2026, follows eighteen months of negotiations that began after President Bashar al-Assad’s government collapsed in December 2024. Both strategic installations will be converted into joint training centers, with Russia maintaining a logistical presence while civilian management transfers to Damascus within a three-month window. For interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, the deal represents a demonstration of sovereign control to domestic constituencies and international partners. The Tartus facility remains Russia’s only naval anchor on the Mediterranean, a strategic asset Moscow seeks to preserve.
Source: Read the original article
