Illegal US Presence in N. Syria Boosts Regional Tensions – Russian, Syrian Militaries
MOSCOW, September 3- The illegal military presence and oil-related activities of the United States and its allies in the north of Syria has resulted in the plundering of the war-torn country’s natural resources and creation of hotbeds of tension, the heads of the Russian and Syrian coordination centers on refugee repatriation said in a joint statement on…
MOSCOW, September 3 (Sputnik) – The illegal military presence and oil-related activities of the United States and its allies in the north of Syria has resulted in the plundering of the war-torn country’s natural resources and creation of hotbeds of tension, the heads of the Russian and Syrian coordination centers on refugee repatriation said in a joint statement on Thursday.
The statement of Russia’s Mikhail Mizintsev and Syria’s Hussein Makhlouf was focused on the problems associated with the repatriation of Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“One of the serious concerns today is caused by the situation in northeastern Syria where the illegal presence of the US and its allies within the international anti-terrorist coalition on the sovereign territory of the Syrian state leads to the plundering of Syria’s natural resources and fomenting hotbeds of tension across the region,” the statement read.
The military officials pointed, in particular, to a deal that US President Donald Trump signed last month for a US company, Delta Crescent Energy, to develop oil fields in Syrian territories in the northeast under control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
“The deal defies international law, violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, serves as a cover for funding US-controlled terrorist enclaves and serves as a continuation of Washington’s criminal policies aimed at thwarting Damascus’ efforts for the post-conflict restoration of legitimate power and unity in the country. Please note that such actions are illegitimate and illegal,” the statement read.
