Russia struggles to establish naval bases in two African countries after Syrian withdrawal

In the days after the fall of the Russian-backed Assad regime in Syria, Moscow withdrew its naval force from the port of Tartus. Russian ships reportedly sat idle in the Mediterranean as Putin pondered his next steps.

Since then, Moscow has reached out to Sudan and Libya in an effort to establish new naval bases in the region. Both countries have reportedly resisted Putin’s offer.

According to Newsweek, Sudan officially rejected Russia's proposal to build a naval base at Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast. The refusal, reported by the independent Moscow Times, citing a Sudanese intelligence official, came after Russia allegedly offered Sudan a sophisticated S-400 anti-aircraft missile system. Sudan was reportedly wary of straining its relations with Western powers.

In Libya, Russia also faces opposition. Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, leader of the Western-backed government in Tripoli, expressed strong objections this week to reports of Russian military equipment being delivered to bases controlled by Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya.

“We will not accept the entry of any foreign force except through official agreements and for the purpose of training. Any party that enters Libya without permission or agreement will be fought, and we cannot accept Libya being an international battlefield," said Dbeibeh at a conference in Tripoli.

As Putin faces challenges establishing new alliances in both countries, he hasn’t given up on Syria altogether. Reports suggest that Moscow is exploring negotiations with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that toppled Assad, to maintain a limited military presence in the country.