US forces keep smuggling Syrian oil to Iraq

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Syrian news sources reported that American forces continue to steal Syria's oil, smuggling it to their occupation bases in Iraq.

Local sources announced that 45 tankers containing stolen Syrian oil have moved toward the occupation bases in northern Iraq through Al-Mahmoudieh Passage

Currently, the occupying American troops, who are illegally stationed in the al-Jazeera region of Syria, are looting the country's national resources and strategic products such as wheat and barley with the cooperation of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Earlier, the Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Moqda announced that the losses of the Syrian oil and gas sector as a result of the war between 2011 and 2022 hit billions of dollars, and he demanded compensation for the damages caused to Syria.

The US military has for long stationed its forces and equipment in northeastern Syria, with the Pentagon claiming that the deployment is aimed at preventing the oilfields in the area from falling into the hands of ISIL terrorists.

Damascus, however, maintains the deployment is meant to plunder the country’s natural resources. Former US president Donald Trump admitted on several occasions that American forces were in the Arab country for its oil wealth.

In infamous comments made in 2019, Trump said, “We’re keeping (Syria’s) oil. We have the oil. The oil is secure. We left troops behind only for the oil.”

Several countries, including Russia and China, have condemned US actions in plundering the Syrian resources and have called on Washington to stop its continued looting of the war-torn country’s natural resources.