Putin meets Assad during rare visit to Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Syrian state media and Russia's Interfax said on Tuesday.

It is Putin's first trip to Syria since he visited Russia's Hmeymim airbase in Latakia province in 2017.

This visit comes at a time of heightened regional tensions. Iran, also a key Assad military ally, has said it will retaliate against the United States for the killing of the Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.

He was killed by a U.S. drone on Friday at Baghdad Airport after just arriving in Iraq from Syria.

Assad's government troops have won back nearly all territory from rebels with the support from Russia and Iran.

During their meeting, Putin said much had been done to restore Syrian statehood, while Assad thanked Putin for his assistance in restoring peaceful life in Syria, Russia's Interfax news agency reported, citing the Kremlin.

Putin will visit several facilities in Syria during the trip, the report said.

He will visit Turkey on Wednesday to hold talks with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

(CGTN)