A Russian government delegation has arrived in Damascus for the first time since Moscow's ally President Bashar al-Assad was toppled, Russia's TASS state news agency reported on Tuesday.
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov © Mena Today
A Russian government delegation has arrived in Damascus for the first time since Moscow's ally President Bashar al-Assad was toppled, Russia's TASS state news agency reported on Tuesday.
The delegation, which is expected to hold talks with Syria's new rulers, includes Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Alexander Lavrentiev, the Kremlin's special envoy for Syria.
Russia, which granted Assad refuge, is hoping to retain its two bases in Syria, a naval base in Tartous and the Hmeimim air base near the port city of Latakia.
Editing by Andrew Osborn
Turkey wants no confrontation with Israel in Syria after repeated Israeli attacks on military sites there undermined the new government's ability to deter threats, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Reuters on Friday.
Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria overnight, declaring the attacks a warning to the new Islamist rulers in Damascus as it accused their Turkish allies on Thursday of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has issued a forceful condemnation following a wave of Israeli airstrikes across the country, denouncing the attacks as a flagrant violation of international law and Syrian sovereignty.
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