An armed group, believed to be a faction of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched an attempted attack on Russia’s Khmeimim Air Base in Syria’s Latakia province early Monday morning.
According to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the militants tried to breach the base but were intercepted by security forces at multiple checkpoints.
Four of the five attackers were killed in a shootout with Russian troops, while one retreated. Preliminary reports indicate that all four killed were from Uzbekistan. The assailant who initially fled the scene was later targeted with a rocket-propelled grenade, though the outcome of the strike remains unclear.
اشـ ـتـ ـبـ ـاكـ ـات في محيط القاعدة الجوية #الروسية بمطار #حميميم pic.twitter.com/RCa6rOmuhz
— المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) May 20, 2025
The SOHR said that a drone flying over the base was shot down during the incident. The report also noted that following the incident, the security forces stationed around the airbase have been placed on high alert, setting up checkpoints and conducting thorough inspections amid concerns over a potential escalation.
According to the SOHR, the attackers may have been affiliated with an “auxiliary group” linked to the ministries of defense and interior. Meanwhile, the Telegram channel NAYA claimed the assailants were part of a faction led by Al-Julani, a former leader of HTS.
Khmeimim Air Base is Russia’s main military hub in Syria. It has been in use since 2015 and hosts fighter jets, helicopters, and S-400 air defense systems. The base plays a central role in Russia’s operations in the region and remains active under agreements with Syria’s interim government after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
As of this writing, the Russian and Syrian governments have not released any official statements regarding the incident.
