FILE IMAGE: A member of the Russian Military Police is in Al Waer neighborhood, Homs
A military police battalion of the Southern Military District has returned to Russia, the country’s defense ministry said on December 12, according to the state-run news agency TASS.
The battlaion was taken into the city of Makhachkala – capital of Russia’s republic of Dagestan.
“Since May 2017, the battalion’s personnel had fulfilled tasks on controlling the ceasefire implementation in the de-escalation zones, ensuring security of civilians during humanitarian efforts and escorting humanitarian convoys,” TASS quoted the ministry.
Units of the Russian military police units were deployed to Syria in December 2016 to maintain security in the de-escalation zones and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, assist unhindered movement of civilians and economic activity. For this task, the military police set up 26 observation posts and 8 checkpoints.
On December 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of the Russian forces pull-out from Syria. Within the decision, Moscow is set to withdraw 23 warplanes of different types and 2 Ka-52 helictopers, the military police force, the commando unit, the field hospital and the mine-clearing center. The rest of the forces will remain deployed in the country.
This is very sensible and it will also put pressure on the Kurds to negotiate with Syria now that Turkey is willing and able to prevent a unified Kurdistan in Syria.