Syrian government plans to return Khmeimim airbase to the national army
After the change of power in Syria, the process of fundamental reform of the country's military infrastructure has begun. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
The new administration under the leadership of Ahmad al-Sharaa has expressed its intention to take back the Khmeimim airbase, which had been under Russian control, and to repurpose it for the needs of the national army. One of the main plans is to use this strategic facility as a modern training center for the Syrian armed forces.
According to available information, official Damascus is also considering the possibility of turning the base not into a full-fledged military operations center, but into a jointly managed complex carrying out primarily non-military tasks. The main reason is that a large part of the current Syrian army's composition consists of representatives of former rebel groups.
Since they do not have sufficient professional military training, this base in Latakia province has been chosen as the most suitable site for training qualified personnel. At the same time, the new government does not rule out the possibility of engaging Russian military specialists as instructors.
This need is linked to the fact that most of the weapons and heavy equipment in the Syrian army's possession are products of the former Soviet Union and Russia. However, it is said that the scope of cooperation will be limited only to training ground forces, and there are no such plans in the field of aviation.
After the fall of the Bashar Assad regime, Russia withdrew its strategic weapons from this region, including its most modern air defense systems and missiles. According to experts, such actions have significantly reduced the previous military prestige of the base.
Currently, the Russian side is temporarily permitted to use Khmeimim only for logistical operations directed at Africa. Such changes in Syria indicate that the geopolitical situation in the region is entering a new stage.
The country's pursuit of military independence and the steps aimed at reducing the influence of foreign forces are expected to serve in the future as a basis for entirely new formation of the security system. The development of events around the Khmeimim airbase carries important significance not only for Syria's domestic politics but also for international relations.
