Syria’s newly appointed leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, has called on Russia to extradite ousted former president Bashar al-Assad, who fled the country after his regime fell. Assad was recently granted asylum in Russia, according to state media reports cited by a Reuters article.
In addition, Syria’s state news agency, SANA, revealed that al-Sharaa urged the Kremlin to take “concrete steps” to rebuild trust with the Syrian population. These measures include “compensation, reconstruction, and recovery” following years of devastation during Assad’s rule and the subsequent civil war.
Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, played a pivotal role in sustaining Assad’s regime over the years. Moscow’s heavy bombing campaigns and military support helped turn the tide of the lengthy and bloody civil war—one that devastated Syria and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives—initially in Assad’s favor.
Russia has maintained two strategically important military bases in Syria, using them to extend its influence across the Middle East and Africa. However, Assad’s downfall has drastically changed the equation.
After Assad’s departure, satellite imagery PLACEHOLDER39242285e8d58f41 revealed that Russian forces began withdrawing military equipment from their bases in Syria, redirecting some of it toward Libya. Last week, Syria’s government officially PLACEHOLDER863ea9ddfcc27820 the termination of the Russian Navy’s 49-year lease on the Tartus naval port, which had been established under a previous agreement brokered during Assad’s regime.
The developments highlight a turning point in Syria’s post-Assad trajectory, as the country recalibrates its foreign relations and begins the complex task of rebuilding after over a decade of conflict.
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