UPDATE 3 - Putin orders start of Russian withdrawal from Syria

UPDATES WITH COMMENT FROM SYRIAN OPPOSITION

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the start of a withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria, according to Russian media.

“I order the minister of defense and the chief of General Staff to begin the withdrawal of the Russian group of forces to the points of their permanent deployment,” Putin was quoted as saying by official news agency TASS.

Putin's remarks came during his visit to the Khmeimim air base in Latakia province, northwest Syria.

He said Russian armed forces, together with the Syrian army, had defeated international terrorists in the war-torn country.

“In this connection, I made a decision: A significant part of the Russian military contingent, based in the Syrian Arab Republic, returns home to Russia,” Putin said.

Putin said Khmeimim and Russia’s Tartus naval base would continue operating. He promised to strike terrorists if they “raise their heads again”.

The president also congratulated Russian servicemen for their victory.

Last month, Nikolay Patrushev, the head of Russia’s National Security Council, said Moscow was “preparing” to reduce its military presence in Syria.

Russia and Syria signed a deal in August 2015 for the permanent deployment of Russian warplanes and soldiers at Khmeimim.

Putin also met Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad before departing for Egypt, according to a Kremlin statement.

“I hope that together with Iran and Turkey, together with the countries that contribute to the eradication of terrorism, we will be able to effectively establish not just a peaceful life, but a political process to resolve the situation in Syria as a whole,” Putin said.

After meeting Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo, Putin is scheduled to visit the Turkish capital Ankara, where he will meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The withdrawal was welcomed by Syrian opposition delegates attending peace talks in Geneva.

“We want Syria to be safe for our people to come back home and any step and procedure that would contribute to the fact that Syria is peaceful… are welcomed," opposition spokesman Yahya Aridi said.

* Fatih Erel in Geneva contributed to this article.