Syria and Russia have signed a memorandum of understanding on the future of Russian bases at Tartous and Hmeimim after 18 months of negotiations, the Syrian foreign ministry said on Sunday.
The ministry said the Syrian state would take over the management of civilian facilities, including Hmeimim airport and the commercial berth at Tartous port, allowing them to be gradually integrated into the country’s civilian administration.
Military facilities would be repurposed as joint training and qualification centres under new arrangements aimed at preserving the interests of both countries, the ministry said. The transition is expected to be completed within three months.
Russia’s naval facility at Tartous and Hmeimim air base have long served as Moscow’s principal military footholds in the Mediterranean and Middle East.
Their future has been the subject of negotiations with Syria’s new leadership since former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December 2024.
In a separate statement, Syria’s General Authority for Ports and Customs said the country would take over commercial sites previously operated by Russia at Tartous port, including Pier No. 4 and its associated warehouses and facilities.
Reuters reported last month that Russia was seeking to establish a commercial logistics hub at Tartous port using Pier No. 4, a restricted zone outside the naval base.
The two sides said at the time that the hub would remain under Syrian control, with all operations subject to approval by Syria’s General Authority for Ports and Customs.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his governmen...
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations...
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United St...
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that additional news organisations could be barred from the White House, hours after announcing bans on CNN, MS NOW and Politico over coverage he described as “fake news”.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has cleared the criminal record of former soldier Elor Azaria, who was convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian in the West Bank in 2016.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
The death toll in a suicide attack at a police compound in northwest Pakistan has reached 31, AFP reported on Saturday, citing a police official.
Azerbaijan has rejected France’s justification for advising its citizens against travel to the country, after Paris cited risks of arbitrary detention and unfair trials.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment