DAMASCUS, Jan 8 (NNN-XINHUA) – Russian President, Vladimir Putin, arrived in Damascus on Tuesday (yesterday) and met with Syrian President, al-Assad.
The two leaders were briefed by head of Russian forces in Syria, on the situation in the country.
During their meeting, Putin told Assad that, a stride has been made in regaining the structure of the Syrian state and the territorial integrity of Syria, according to Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov.
Putin observed the return of normal life to the streets of Damascus, Peskov added.
This is Putin’s first visit to Damascus, since the Syrian war broke out in 2013, and the second to the country.
In Dec, 2017, Putin visited Russia-operated Hmeimim Air Base, in Syria’s northwestern province of Latakia, where he met Assad and ordered a partial withdrawal of Russian forces.
Bouthaina Shaaban, an adviser of President Bashar al-Assad, said that, the visit held a lot of connotations, including celebrating the return of peace to Damascus.
She went on to say that, both leaders were on the same page, regarding the need to eliminate terrorism in Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria.
Putin’s visit comes, as the Syrian army and Russian warplanes have been pounding rebel positions in Idlib for a few weeks.– NNN-XINHUA
