Putin visits Syria, declares victory with Assad

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Syria on Monday to declare victory in its campaign to help President Bashar al-Assad defeat terrorists and rebels. No other foreign head of state has visited Syria since its civil war began in 2011. Russia launched air operations in the country in September 2015 and quickly turned the tide of the conflict in Assad’s favor. The airstrikes not only targeted Islamic State (ISIS) and al-Qaeda terrorists but also battled mainstream rebels opposed to the Assad family’s four-decade rule. “Here in Syria, far away from our borders, you helped the Syrian people to preserve their state and fend off attacks by terrorists,” Putin said, addressing troops at Hemeimeem air base.