"The preparation phase for the Shaayrat base is nearing its end. It is being prepared to become a Russian military base," the military source told AFP, declining to be named.
"A number of Russian advisors arrived in Shaayrat weeks ago," the source said. The base "will begin being used by Russian forces before the end of this month".
Since Moscow began air strikes in Syria on September 30, its Su-34, Su-24, Su-30 and Su-25 planes have operated out of Hmeimim base in the coastal province of Latakia.
Shaayrat lies in Syria's central Homs province, north of several towns where government forces and allied militia backed by Russian air strikes have been fighting the Islamic State jihadist group...
AFP -france24.com
3/12/15
-
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
Russia is expanding an air base in Homs Province in western Syria to accommodate its fighter jets, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said...
ReplyDeleteThe monitoring group said on December 3 that the Russians were adding fortifications and developing runways at the Shayrat air base, about 40 kilometers southeast of Homs city, in a sign they intend to use it as their second air base in the country.
The work under way could signal Moscow's intention to step up air strikes in the country's central region where the Islamic State group is active, it said.
A U.S. official said the United States believes Russia had been moving equipment to the Shayrat base and some of the equipment is already operational.................http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-expanding-second-syrian-air-base-near-islamic-state/27406249.html
4/12/15