Russian troops leaving airbase in northern Syria VIDEO

Russian forces are withdrawing from the airbase in Al-Qamishli in northern Syria, Clash Report writes.

The report states that Russian fighter jets, helicopters, and military equipment are being loaded onto transport aircraft.

Russia had maintained a military presence in Syria since 2015, primarily operating from three key sites: the Khmeimim airbase in Latakia, the Tartus naval facility on the Mediterranean, and the Qamishli airbase in the northeast. The Qamishli base was especially important in areas once under Kurdish-led control.

Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 and the advance of Syrian government forces into Kurdish-held territory, control over parts of Hasakah province — including around Qamishli — has shifted back toward Damascus. This has altered the local political and security landscape.

On January 18, 2026, the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led SDF agreed to a ceasefire following intense fighting in northeast Syria. The deal included provisions for the SDF to withdraw forces east of the Euphrates and the transfer of territory like Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa under Damascus’s control.

The ceasefire was part of a broader agreement aimed at integrating SDF fighters and civilian institutions into the Syrian state, effectively winding down the SDF’s autonomous role in the northeast.

By Khagan Isayev