Russia’s Khmeimim Air Base in Syria reportedly came under attack Tuesday morning by armed groups believed to be linked to the new government in Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and local eyewitness accounts.
Witnesses reported that a group of armed men engaged in sustained combat at the base, with the attack lasting approximately one hour. Some attackers allegedly breached the base perimeter and reached the runway, while the sound of gunfire and drone activity was heard in conjunction with alarms sounding from within the facility.
Russian online sources indicated that two of the attackers were killed, along with two Russian military personnel. The Syrian authorities have denied involvement, instead attributing the assault to rogue factions formerly associated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)—the jihadist group once led by Syria’s current president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
In recent weeks, fighters previously affiliated with HTS reportedly increased their presence around the base, tightening checkpoints and citing unspecified "security reasons."
Since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government, Russia has maintained two key military installations in Syria: the Khmeimim Air Base and the naval facility in Tartus. Hmeimim has also become a de facto safe zone for religious minorities, particularly Alawites, who fled the widespread sectarian violence that erupted in March. An estimated 2,500 civilians remain sheltered inside the base.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin and President al-Sharaa have engaged diplomatically—holding a phone call in February—Tuesday’s attack raises questions about the new Syrian government’s control over armed factions still active on the ground.
In January, the Syrian government officially disbanded all non-state militias and ordered them to integrate into the national military and security services. However, implementation appears incomplete. On Saturday, Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra issued an ultimatum, giving remaining armed groups 10 days to join the Syrian Defense Ministry or face "measures."
As of Tuesday evening, the Russian government has not issued an official statement regarding the incident.