A Russian Su-24 aircaft on a runway at the Hmeimim airbase in Syria. © Maksim Blinov / Sputnik
The Russian military group in Syria deployed forces in several towns adjacent to Khmeimim Air Base on the coast, Erem News reported on March 25, citing sources from the region.
Earlier this month, the air base, which represents the focal point of Russian military deployment in Syria, opened its doors to nearly 10,000 civilians who fled a government crackdown targeting mainly members of the Alawite religious minority, which former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad belongs to.
The crackdown went on for over a week, leaving more than 1,600 civilians, mostly Alawites, dead, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Russian forces reinforced their positions around Khmeimim in recent days, according to Erem News, which said that Syrian military and security personnel stationed around the air base were instructed to evacuate all their positions and withdraw, allowing Russian forces to take over in order to “secure and protect” the base.
The Abu Dhabi-based news website also reported a major increase in Russian aerial operations over the entire coastal region.
While the government’s crackdown on so-called “regime remnants” have largely come to a halt, violations, including kidnappings and killings are still being reported on a daily basis. Due to this, the civilians taking refuge at Khmeimim are still refusing to return to their homes.
Speaking to Erem, one of the refugees said that Russian forces took control over the towns of Qubaisiya, Bakhdarmo, and Khirbet al-Ashar right next to the air base.
Syrian authorities made several attempts to persuade the civilians in Khmeimim to leave the air base, without providing any guarantees. In fact, the civilians were threatened in some cases.
Another refugee at Khmeimim told Erem that Russian forces were treating refugees with respect and humanity, providing them with all their needs, including a field kitchen, a medical center, and tents. However, he noted that the humanitarian situation there remains complex as the air base is not equipped to accommodate such a large number of people.
Meanwhile, Russian sources reported that the number of flights carrying aid to the air base had increased to around three or four a week.
Russia was among the first to condemn the massacres on the coast and call on the country’s interim government to hold those responsible accountable.
The government announced the formation of an investigation committee as the killings were ongoing earlier this month. However, activists from coast have questioned the independence and sentiment of the committee, especially that it includes members well-known for their anti-Alawite sentiment. So far, none of the fighters and commanders documented to have taken parts in the massacres have been held accountable.
While some observers were quick to speculate that the Russian deployment outside Khmeimim was the beginning of something bigger, facts on the ground do not support this. Still, further escalation by government forces against the Alawites could spark a heated conflict on the coast.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
