Russia has established “direct contact” with Syria’s Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) rebel group, according to state media outlet Interfax.
It reported that deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov told journalists that Russia was aiming to maintain its military bases inside Syria.
Mr Bogdanov said contact with HTS was “proceeding in constructive fashion” and that Moscow hoped the group would fulfil its pledges to maintain order and ensure the safety of diplomats and other foreigners within Syria.
Russia has two bases inside the country: a naval base in Tartous and the Khemimim Air Base near the port city of Latakia.
HTS– the most powerful rebel group to emerge after the collapse of Bashar al Assad’s regime – started as the official al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, under the name Nusra Front.
The Sunni Islamist militant faction is viewed as a terrorist organisation by many Western powers.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking to reporters in Aqaba, said: “We’re working to bring him home, to bring him out of Syria.
“But for privacy reasons, I can’t share any more details about this.”
Travis Timmerman said he was released from prison by “liberators” and told the Associated Press his release was a “blessing”.
Image: Travis Timmerman (R) was ‘liberated’ from a prison months after going missing. Pic: Syrian Emergency Task Force / AP
His mother, Stacey Collins, told Reuters news agency she had believed her son was dead after he went missing seven months ago.
She said: “I didn’t want to give up. I didn’t want to give up on my son.”
Mr Timmerman, 29, said he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and had not been ill-treated while in Palestine Branch – a notorious detention facility run by the Syrian intelligence.
He added he was detained after he crossed into Syria from a mountain along the eastern Lebanese town of Zahle in June.
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