Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Russia on Wednesday, Syrian news agency SANA reported, on his first visit to the country where ousted President Bashar al-Assad currently resides.
SANA said al-Sharaa arrived in Russia for “an official visit to hold talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on bilateral relations between the two countries and regional and international developments of common interest.”
During his visit, Al-Sharaa will ask Russia to hand over al-Assad, a government official said.
The official, who requested anonymity as they were not allowed to brief the media, told AFP that “al-Sharaa will ask the Russian president to hand over all individuals who committed war crimes and are in Russia, most notably Bashar al-Assad,” the longtime ruler who was toppled in December and sought refuge in Moscow.
Putin will also discuss the fate of Russian military bases in Syria with al-Sharaa during talks, the Kremlin said.
Russia has two main military bases in Syria - the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia province, and a naval facility at Tartous on the coast.
Reuters
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