ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Syrian defense ministry delegation arrived in Moscow on Thursday to boost defense coordination between the two countries, the ministry said in a statement. The visit notably follows growing calls from Damascus for the extradition of deposed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad from Russia, and ahead of Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s anticipated participation in a key summit in Moscow this month.
In a statement on its official Telegram channel, the Syrian defense ministry said “the delegation is led by Chief of the General Staff [of armed forces in the Syrian transitional government] Major General Ali Al-Naasan,” and “was received by Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov.”
“This visit falls within the context of developing coordination mechanisms between the ministries of defense of the two countries,” the statement read.
Following a swift offensive, a coalition of opposition groups, headed by the now dissolved Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - then led by Sharaa - toppled long-time Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in early December.
Less than 24 hours later, Russian state media reported that Assad and his family were in Moscow. “Assad, along with members of his family, has arrived in Moscow. Russia, based on humanitarian considerations, has granted them asylum,” Russian state media TASS then said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also confirmed back then that Russian President Vladimir Putin had personally ordered the decision to grant asylum to the deposed leader and his family.
“Of course, such decisions cannot be made without the head of state. It is his [Putin's] decision,” Peskov told reporters, declining to elaborate on Assad's exact whereabouts.
Since his late January appointment as Syrian interim President, Sharaa has repeatedly called for the extradition of Assad from Russia to face trial for crimes he is accused of committing during his rule.
In April, Sharaa said that Syrian officials had explicitly requested Russia to hand over Assad, making the extradition of the toppled dictator and other high-ranking regime officials a condition for fully restoring relations with Moscow.
More recently, a Syrian court on Saturday issued an arrest warrant for Assad over his role in the deadly 2011 crackdown in Syria’s southwestern Daraa province, citing charges including premeditated murder and torture resulting in death.
Despite repeated requests, Moscow has thus far rejected any extradition of Assad, whom it supported militarily throughout the Syrian civil war.
On the diplomatic level, during a visit by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak to Damascus in September, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani acknowledged the historically strong relationship between the two nations but noted it had “lacked balance.”
“Any foreign presence on our soil must aim to help the Syrian people build their future,” Shaibani added in reference to existing Russian bases in Syria.
During a prior visit in July, Shaibani called for Russia’s “sincere cooperation in supporting the path of transitional justice in Syria”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov then thanked the Syrian interim authorities for "the steps they're taking to ensure the safety of Russian citizens and Russian facilities,” reiterating Moscow's commitment to assist with "post-conflict reconstruction."
Of note, the latest defense engagement comes as Syrian interim President, Sharaa, is set to travel to Moscow later this month to attend the first-ever Russia-Arab League summit.