Russia pulls naval forces out of Syria, US official says

All Russian naval ships that were docked at the Syrian port of Tartus have left and it appears Moscow is now looking for a new base along the coast now that its key ally, Bashar Assad, has been ousted a ruler of Syria, a U.S. official said.

It’s not clear where the ships will go, but Russia may seek a new port on the Mediterranean Sea along the African shoreline, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. assessments.

The official did not say how many vessels Russia had in Syria at the time Assad was overthrown. Moscow has dedicated the bulk of its military assets to the war in Ukraine.

Asked about Tartus on Wednesday, Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said that the U.S. is seeing some Russian forces and naval vessels leaving Syria.

“They just had one of their key political allies, ousted,” said Singh. “We’re seeing Russia consolidate assets.”