Russian helicopters have landed in the air base in Tabqa in northern Syria, which is controlled by the Syrian forces and its allied units
TABQA (Syria) (Pakistan Point news / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2019) Russian helicopters have landed in the air base in Tabqa in northern Syria, which is controlled by the Syrian forces and its allied units.
In 2014, during the Syrian war, the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) took control over the Tabqa airbase. Later, in the summer of 2017, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces dismantled the most important IS cell in Tabqa and have since controlled the city, along with the Raqqa province, encouraging the presence of US troops at the airbase in northern Syria, who had remained on the ground until recently.
"Our goal is to ensure the airbase's security and to prevent possible attacks targeting it ... When the IS fighters entered the city, they ruined the airstrip. Then the US troops were sent, but they did not rebuild anything ... Now, the air base is under our control, and we are not going to leave it," a Syrian officer said.
Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria on October 9 to clear the area of the Kurdish militia, which Ankara designates as terrorists, and the Islamic State terrorist group, as well as to create a safe zone at the Turkish border, where Syrian refugees can return.
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper later declared the withdrawal of US troops from Syria amid Turkey's offensive. The international coalition forces, led by the US, left Raqqa and Tabqa after eliminating the air base near the city of Kobani on October 16.
