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New Damascus leaders discuss ‘transitional justice’ with first Russian delegation

The New Region

Jan. 29, 2025 • 2 min read
Image of New Damascus leaders discuss ‘transitional justice’ with first Russian delegation Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (right) shaking hands with Mikhail Bogdanov, President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on the Middle East. Photo: SANA

"The new administration... stressed that restoring relations must address past mistakes, respect the will of the Syrian people, and serve their interests," Syria's new government said in a statement.

 

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — The new administration in Damascus said on Wednesday that it had discussed “transitional justice” with the first official Russian delegation, headed by Mikhail Bogdanov, President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on the Middle East, who visited the Syrian capital city the day earlier. 

 

"The new administration... stressed that restoring relations must address past mistakes, respect the will of the Syrian people, and serve their interests," Syria's new government said in a statement, adding the talks were to deliver "justice for the victims of the brutal war waged by the Assad regime."

 

Russia was one of the main backers of Assad. The fall of Assad has been deemed a major setback for Moscow in the Middle East, with Russian Putin denying they had suffered a “defeat” in the Middle East in the wake of Assad’s ouster. 

 

An 11-day sweeping rebel offensive spearheaded by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, led by Sharaa, brought a five-decade-long rule of the Assad family to an end on December 8. Assad and his family fled to Russia. 

  

Despite Moscow's backing for Assad, which turned the tide of Syria’s civil war in the previous Damascus regime’s favor, new Syrian de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said there were "deep strategic interests between Russia and Syria" in an interview with Saudi state-owned Al-Arabiya TV channel in late December. 

 

"All Syria's arms are of Russian origin, and many power plants are managed by Russian experts... We do not want Russia to leave Syria in the way that some wish," Sharaa said.

 

Part of the Russian delegation's visit to Damascus was reportedly to secure its naval base in Tartus and its air base at Khmeimim, both on Syria's Mediterranean coast.

 

Russian state-owned RT Arabic reported that Bogdanov described the visit as strengthening historic ties while underlying Russia's hopes for Syrian unity and independence.

 

 
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