Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a surprise visit to a Russian base in Syria and ordered the start his troops' withdrawal from the war-torn country, reported Aljazeera.

Syrian state TV reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with Putin at Khmeimim Air Base southeast of Latakia on Monday morning.

Russia's state news agency Novosti cited Putin as saying that "in general, the combat work in this territory is completed by the complete eradication of terrorists".

Putin made the stop in Syria on his way to Egypt where is scheduled to meet President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.