Putin Confirms Formation of Task Force for Withdrawal of 'All' Foreign Forces from Syria

One day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Moscow and his meeting with Vladimir Putin to discuss 'countering Iran's efforts to establish a military presence in Syria', the Russian President confirmed on Thursday, March 1, the formation of a task force for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syrian territory. An 'Israeli official' who accompanied Netanyahu during the discussions with the Russian leader stated that Putin announced the establishment of a task force aimed at removing all foreign armed personnel from Syria, including Iranian military forces and their 'proxies'. This Israeli official added that this 'task force will include Russia, Israel, and several other countries to discuss the withdrawal of foreign forces from Syria'. Putin, in an interview with Russian journalists on Thursday, stated that his country's plan involves creating task forces to establish a practical and international framework aimed at normalizing the situation in Syria after the destruction of the last terrorist strongholds in the country. According to the text of the Russian leader's remarks published on the official Kremlin website, this plan is based on the requirement for 'the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syria' and the restoration of state institutions while maintaining Syria's territorial integrity. Vladimir Putin added that this plan was discussed during his meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. He noted that the situation in Syria has stabilized and that the remaining centers of terrorism will be eliminated in the near future, including areas in Idlib province and the eastern Euphrates, which are still unsafe, and that he discussed efforts to establish security in these areas with Netanyahu. The Russian President further explained that after pushing back ISIS and the remaining terrorists, an international committee with its task forces will begin its activities aimed at restoring complete stability, which will include Syria and other countries involved in the Syrian crisis to ensure Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Netanyahu had previously expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his last negotiations with the Russian leader regarding Moscow's understanding of Israel's security needs. The Israeli Prime Minister has particularly seized every opportunity in recent months to emphasize that Iran must leave Syria. On Thursday, Putin stated in a meeting with Russian journalists, 'The efforts of the Israeli leadership and Benjamin Netanyahu, who is personally active in this regard, are acceptable.' The Russian President had previously stated in late July, shortly after meeting with Ali Akbar Velayati, the Iranian leader's envoy to Moscow, that it is not Russia's job to forcibly remove Iran from Syria. There has been no report yet on the reaction from Iran or Syria regarding the establishment of the new task force proposed by Israel and Russia for the withdrawal of all foreign military personnel from Syrian territory. Israel has confirmed that in the past three years, it has attacked 'Iranian targets and their allies' in Syria 'hundreds of times' and has informed the Russian military, which has a military presence in Syria, of some of its attacks only minutes before they occur. The Israeli Prime Minister, who has traveled to Moscow and Sochi more than ten times in the past three years to discuss 'coordination between the Israeli and Russian armies' during Israeli operations against 'Iranian targets and their allies' in Syria, also held a three-hour meeting with the Russian leader focused on this issue. Iranian and Syrian officials during a meeting on Monday this week with Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian President, from Tehran emphasized strengthening Damascus-Tehran relations within the framework of a long-standing political alliance and continuing 'Iran's advisory presence in Syria for as long as necessary' based on military agreements.