President Vladimir Putin has ordered the withdrawal of “the main part” of Russia’s forces in Syria, the TASS news agency reported Monday.
The pullout will begin on Tuesday, Putin told a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to the report.
Putin was cited as saying that the withdrawal was a result of the “completion” of the Defense Ministry’s objectives in the war-torn country.
Russia in September last year launched a military operation in Syria in the name of fighting Islamic terrorism there.