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Twin blasts rock entrance to Syrian port city of Tartus housing Russian naval base - reports Twin blasts rock entrance to Syrian port city of Tartus housing Russian naval base - reports
(35 minutes later)
Two explosions have rocked the highway well short of the entrance to the Syrian port-city of Tartus, northwestern Syria, which houses a Russian naval base.
“We received information about a double explosion at the entrance to the city of Tartus, on the government highway under Arzuna bridge,” RIA Novosti reports, citing local militia.
There have also been reports of explosions at a checkpoint in the capital, Damascus, and in the western city of Homs. There is so far no official information on casualties from the explosions.
Tartus is the second-largest port city in Syria. It has been used, first by the Soviet and now the Russian Navy, for years as a feeder base. The facilities have been used during Moscow's Syria campaign too - they enable provision of military supplies to the Russian contingent fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
READ MORE: Over 100 killed as blasts hit near Russian military bases in Syria’s Latakia province (VIDEO)
After Russia withdrew most of its troops from Syria in mid-March this year, it was decided to maintain Russia’s military presence at the Tartus base, as well as at the Khmeimim Airbase, in order to observe the ceasefire arrangements in the Arab country.
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