There are indications that Russia is securing its Syrian bases amid concerns that Russian presence in the region may not last after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad. A convoy of Russian military vehicles was seen on the highway heading toward Tartous, Syria, on Monday.

Syria's Bashar al-Assad said on Monday he was evacuated to Russia from the Hmeimim base in Syria on the evening of Dec. 8 as it came under drone attacks, after leaving Damascus that morning with opposition fighters closing in.

Follow the latest on Syria Syria's former president Bashar Al Assad said his exit to Moscow was "not planned", in his first public statement since fleeing to Russia a week ago. Mr Al Assad left after a 12-day lightning offensive led by rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al Sham left Syrian Army soldiers abandoning their posts and officials