BAD BROMANCE
Bashar al-Assad hugs Vladimir Putin as he thanks Russia for ‘saving Syria from terrorists’
Putin and Assad - who has been accused of horrific human rights violations - met at a Russian resort
SYRIAN tyrant Bashar Assad gave Russian president Vladimir Putin a hug as he thanked Russia for "saving" his country.
Pro-government forces have defeated ISIS in its last major stronghold in Syria, leaving the militants to defend just a few strips of desert.
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Putin gave Assad a warm embrace upon his arrival at Putin's residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Russian television showed footage of Putin and Assad - who has been accused of horrific human rights violations - entering a meeting with the top brass of Russia's defence ministry.
Putin told the Russian generals: "I would like to introduce you to people who played a key role in saving Syria."
Assad's office quoted him as thanking Russia and its military, which he said "gave martyrs and made efforts in Syria."
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He added: "I was very happy to know that you are here since you are the officers who directly took part in the battle in Syria.
Assad said the Russian Air Force helped Syrian troops in the fight against insurgents, helping many Syrians to return to their homes.
He said: "In the name of the Syrian people, I greet you and thank you all, every Russian officer, fighter and pilot that took part in this war."
The meeting came two days after Syrian troops and their allies captured the eastern town of Boukamal, the last major inhabited area held by ISIS in Syria.
Syrian troops and their Iran-backed allies marched into the town under the cover of Russian airstrikes.
"I passed to (Putin) and all Russian people our greetings and gratitude for all of the efforts that Russia made to save our country," Assad told Russia's top brass.
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Assad has only ventured outside his war-ravaged nation twice since the conflict began - both times to Russia.
This week's visit to meet Putin is his second since the crisis began in March 2011 leading to a civil war that has killed some 400,000 and resulted in millions of refugees.
The first was in October 2015, shortly after Russia launched its military campaign in Syria to shore up Assad's forces which turned the war in favor of Assad.
The meeting in Sochi, which lasted four hours, came ahead of a summit at the same place between the presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey.
Iran and Russia have been Assad's main backers while Turkey supports the opposition.
Putin had spoken with the leaders of Iran and Turkey to "assure them that Russia will work with Syrian leadership to prepare the groundwork for possible understandings" Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, told reporters.
The Kremlin said Putin would phone US President Donald Trump and Saudi King Salman to discuss the situation in Syria on Wednesday.
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