Syria Stand Down? Putin Orders Russian Troops to Start Pulling Out

Aimee Herd : Mar 14, 2016
Fox News

At least a quarter of a million people have been killed and half of Syria's population has been displaced, flooding Europe with refugees. -AP report.

In a major development, Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to partially withdraw from their presence in Syria, according to an AP report. (Photo via The Guardian UK)

Putin announced his decision during a televised meeting, saying that the Russian air campaign... has helped create conditions for peace talks, said the report.

"With the tasks set before the Defense Ministry and the military largely fulfilled, I'm ordering the Defense Minister to start the pullout of the main part of our group of forces in Syria, beginning tomorrow," Putin said in his address.

A cease-fire of sorts began on February 27th, brought about by Russia and the U.S., however, it did not include terrorist groups such as ISIS and the Nusra Front, according to the AP report.