Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for talks in Moscow on Wednesday, as the Kremlin seeks to secure the future of military bases vital for its operations in the Middle East.

By Dmitry Antonov and Suleiman Al-Khalidi MOSCOW, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa in the Kremlin on Wednesday for talks that were set to include the sensitive issue of Russia's future military presence in Syria,

AL-HOL, Syria (AP) — The U.S. military said Wednesday it began transferring detainees from the Islamic State group who were held in northeastern Syria to Iraq to ensure they remain in secure facilities.

Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa visited Moscow on Wednesday for the second time in less than four months, and Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized his readiness to help the country rebuild its war-battered economy.

The Syrian military claims guards from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces abandoned a camp in northeast Syria, allowing detainees linked to the Islamic State to escape.

Syria today remains a politically and militarily fragmented country, defined not only by the legacy of a devastating civil war, but also by unresolved tensions between the country’s central authorities and the Kurdish forces operating in the northern and northeastern regions.

In the space of two days, the Syrian military, aided by tribal militia, has driven Kurdish forces from wide swathes of northern Syria that they have held for more than a decade.

Syria’s military said it would open a corridor Thursday for civilians to evacuate an area of Aleppo province that has seen a military buildup following intense clashes between government and

Iranian retaliation for a US attack would likely target American forces in the Middle East, where Washington has tens of thousands of troops deployed on bases across the region.