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WORLD NEWSTuesday 15 March 2016
Putin orders start of Russian military pullout from Syria
V. ISACHENKOV Russian President Vladimir Putin heads a meeting of the State Council on traffic safety issues in of war and helped create
J. KEATEN Yaroslavl, Russia, Monday, March 14, 2016. conditions for peace talks.
Associated Press “With the tasks set before
MOSCOW (AP) — President (Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) the Defense Ministry and
Vladimir Putin ordered the the military largely fulfilled,
Russian military to withdraw keep some troops there. in Syria. It rejected specu- tions against the Islamic I’m ordering the Defense
most of its forces from Syria, Syria’s state news agency lation that the decision re- State group, the Nusra Minister to start the pull-
timing his move to coincide also quoted Assad as say- flected a rift between the Front and other terrorist or- out of the main part of our
with the launch of Syria ing that the Russian military allies and said the decision ganizations “with the same group of forces from Syria,
peace talks Monday — an will draw down its air force reflected the “success- tempo.” beginning tomorrow,” Pu-
end game that allows the contingent but won’t leave es” the two armies have Announcing his decision in tin said.
Russian leader to cash in the country altogether. achieved in fighting terror- a televised meeting with He also informed President
on his gains and reduce his The Syrian presidency said ism in Syria and restoring Russia’s foreign and de- Barack Obama of his move
risks in the conflict. Assad and Putin spoke on peace to key areas of the fense ministries, Putin said in a phone call, emphasiz-
The start of the negotiations the phone Monday and country. the Russian air campaign ing the importance of U.S.-
in Geneva offers Putin an jointly agreed that Russia The Syrian army said it has allowed Assad’s military Russian coordination “for
opportune moment to de- would scale back its forces would continue its opera- to “radically” turn the tide preserving the cease-fire,
clare an official end to the ensuring humanitarian aid
5½-month Russian air cam- deliveries to the blockaded
paign that has allowed Syri- settlements and conduct-
an President Bashar Assad’s ing an efficient struggle
army to win back some key against terrorist groups,”
ground and strengthen his according to the Kremlin,
positions ahead of the talks. which added that the con-
With Russia’s main goals in versation was “business-like
Syria achieved, the pull- and frank.”
back will allow Putin to Putin didn’t specify how
pose as a peacemaker many planes and troops
and help ease tensions with would be withdrawn. The
NATO member Turkey and number of Russian soldiers
the Gulf monarchies vexed in Syria has not been re-
by Moscow’s military ac- vealed. U.S. estimates of
tion. the number of Russian mili-
At the same time, Putin tary personnel in Syria vary
made it clear that Russia from 3,000 to 6,000.
will maintain its air base and Russia has deployed more
a naval facility in Syria and than 50 jets and helicop-
ters to its Hemeimeem air
Lebanon: Missiles on Serbian flight were for training base, in Syria’s coastal
province of Latakia, and
D. STOJANOVIC was in accordance “with adding that the final report manufacturer, U.S. federal they have operated at a
B. MROUE administrative and legal could take time “because officials said. frenetic pace, each flying
Associated Press measures after the training some of the information is The American-made pro- several combat sorties on
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) ended.” located in foreign coun- jectiles can be fired from an average day.
— Two U.S.-bound mis- But the Serbian public pros- tries.” air, sea or ground platforms. Russian Defense Minister
siles found on a passenger ecutors’ office said Mon- Serbia’s N1 television has They are also launched Sergei Shoigu reported to
flight from Lebanon to Ser- day in a statement emailed said the packages, with from drones in the U.S. fight Putin that thanks to the
bia were used for training to The Associated Press it two guided armor-piercing against terrorism. The prac- Russian air support the Syr-
and did not contain any was investigating findings missiles, were discovered tice version of Hellfire is fit- ian military has extended
explosives, the Lebanese by border police that the Saturday by a sniffer dog ted with an inert warhead its control to 400 towns and
army said Monday. Serbian packages “are suspected after an Air Serbia flight without explosives. villages over an area of
investigators remain un- to contain explosive mate- landed at Belgrade airport A U.S. official familiar with 10,000 square kilometers.
convinced, saying police rials.” It said the investiga- from the Lebanese capital, the situation, speaking on State TV quoted Assad as
found traces of suspected tion also focused on where Beirut. condition of anonymity saying that the collabora-
explosive materials on the the missiles came from and The U.S. port of entry for because he wasn’t autho- tion between Russian and
cargo. what was their final desti- the training version of the rized to discuss the case, Syrian forces has secured
The Lebanese army said nation. AGM-114 Hellfire missiles said the missiles are “inert “victories against terrorism
the missiles were being sent “We hope that our ex- was supposed to be Port- training dummies.” and returned security to
from Beirut to the American pertise will be finished this land, Maine, but the final “There was no explosive the country.”q
company that produced week,” prosecution spokes- destination was a com- residue, no warhead and
them. It said the return man Ivan Markovic said, pany affiliated with the no engine,” he said.q
