A reporter from China Media Group (CMG) recently interviewed an informant in the oil-producing region of northeastern Syria who explained the process by which he claimed Syrian oil is stolen by U.S. forces.
CGTN
Middle East 17-Jun-2023
U.S. military vehicles drive pass the oil-rich town of Rumeilan in the al-Hasakah Governorate in the northeast of Syria, July 1st, 2020. /CFP
For a long time, the U.S. military has collaborated with local opposition armed groups, transporting dozens of oil tanker carrying stolen oil out of the country almost every day, the informant said. "Under the high-pressure control of the U.S. military and opposition armed groups, local residents dare not speak out," he added.
More than 80 percent of Syria's daily oil production was illegally smuggled by the U.S. military in the first half of 2022, according to the Syrian government.
U.S. forces and mercenaries stole an average of 66,000 barrels of oil per day in Syria, according to Syria's Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources, which said the country's average daily oil production is estimated to have reached 80,000 barrels in the period.
A U.S. military vehicle drives in one of the villages that was subject to bombardment the previous week in the countryside east of Qamishli in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province, August 21, 2022. /CFP
'We are all witnesses': People of Hasakah province
The informant told the CMG reporter that U.S. patrol teams escort convoys of oil tankers to transit points. There have been cases where individuals attempting to capture footage with cameras or mobile phones were arrested and, in some instances, even lost their lives, the informant claimed.
The U.S. military has also installed detectors in the area to prevent civilians from using their phones to capture footage, the informant said. Whenever a convoy of U.S.-escorted oil tankers passes through, the entire area experiences communication disruptions, he added.
During the past month, the informant has conducted interviews with several eyewitnesses and sources about illicit oil extraction activities. CMG learned that the U.S. military has maintained a longstanding partnership with local opposition armed groups, transporting dozens of oil tankers carrying stolen oil across the border on a daily basis. Due to safety concerns, very few individuals are willing to reveal themselves directly to the camera.
Locals in Hasakah province told the CMG reporter that Syrian oil is being stolen, and the people of Hasakah province are all witnesses. They said the U.S. military escorts oil tankers across the border and sells the oil, but that they don't know where it goes next. This has been happening since 2015 and continues, they told the reporter.
Syrian political expert Muhammad Omari told CMG that the plundering of Syrian oil is a component of the U.S. regional policy, which, along with economic sanctions, infrastructure destruction and food looting, aims to incite the Syrian people against the government, perpetuate and intensify the poverty situation in Syria, and lead to chaos and the spread of terrorism.
"Most importantly, they prevent the Syrian government from accessing economic resources, hinder the return of Syrian refugees, and impede the reconstruction of Syria," he added.
U.S. soldiers patrol near an oil field in al-Qahtaniyah in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province, June 14, 2023. /CFP
'They took away resources and brought poverty'
Locals told CMG that due to U.S. control over Syria's most important resources and the country's sources of income, things have become challenging for all aspects of the lives of the Syrian people.
"If I want to drive, I have to consider how to refuel. Despite having many oil fields in our country, we are facing an energy shortage issue because of the U.S. oil theft," a Syrian named Ahmed Hassan said.
"The resources of our country, such as oil, wheat, cotton, have been plundered by the illegal occupation of the United States in northeastern Syria," said Majid Rossi, "they have taken these resources from the hands of the Syrian people, leading to poverty, hunger, and disease among the Syrian people."
The Syrian government has repeatedly condemned the actions of the United States, stating that they flagrantly violate international law and the Charter of the United Nations, causing catastrophic consequences for Syria.
The presence of the U.S. military has become a nightmare for the local people, they told CMG. Locals said the U.S. disregards human rights in pursuit of its own interests and added that this is a manifestation of its hegemonic ideology.
CGTN
Middle East 17-Jun-2023
U.S. military vehicles drive pass the oil-rich town of Rumeilan in the al-Hasakah Governorate in the northeast of Syria, July 1st, 2020. /CFP
For a long time, the U.S. military has collaborated with local opposition armed groups, transporting dozens of oil tanker carrying stolen oil out of the country almost every day, the informant said. "Under the high-pressure control of the U.S. military and opposition armed groups, local residents dare not speak out," he added.
More than 80 percent of Syria's daily oil production was illegally smuggled by the U.S. military in the first half of 2022, according to the Syrian government.
U.S. forces and mercenaries stole an average of 66,000 barrels of oil per day in Syria, according to Syria's Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources, which said the country's average daily oil production is estimated to have reached 80,000 barrels in the period.
A U.S. military vehicle drives in one of the villages that was subject to bombardment the previous week in the countryside east of Qamishli in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province, August 21, 2022. /CFP
'We are all witnesses': People of Hasakah province
The informant told the CMG reporter that U.S. patrol teams escort convoys of oil tankers to transit points. There have been cases where individuals attempting to capture footage with cameras or mobile phones were arrested and, in some instances, even lost their lives, the informant claimed.
The U.S. military has also installed detectors in the area to prevent civilians from using their phones to capture footage, the informant said. Whenever a convoy of U.S.-escorted oil tankers passes through, the entire area experiences communication disruptions, he added.
During the past month, the informant has conducted interviews with several eyewitnesses and sources about illicit oil extraction activities. CMG learned that the U.S. military has maintained a longstanding partnership with local opposition armed groups, transporting dozens of oil tankers carrying stolen oil across the border on a daily basis. Due to safety concerns, very few individuals are willing to reveal themselves directly to the camera.
Locals in Hasakah province told the CMG reporter that Syrian oil is being stolen, and the people of Hasakah province are all witnesses. They said the U.S. military escorts oil tankers across the border and sells the oil, but that they don't know where it goes next. This has been happening since 2015 and continues, they told the reporter.
Syrian political expert Muhammad Omari told CMG that the plundering of Syrian oil is a component of the U.S. regional policy, which, along with economic sanctions, infrastructure destruction and food looting, aims to incite the Syrian people against the government, perpetuate and intensify the poverty situation in Syria, and lead to chaos and the spread of terrorism.
"Most importantly, they prevent the Syrian government from accessing economic resources, hinder the return of Syrian refugees, and impede the reconstruction of Syria," he added.
U.S. soldiers patrol near an oil field in al-Qahtaniyah in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province, June 14, 2023. /CFP
'They took away resources and brought poverty'
Locals told CMG that due to U.S. control over Syria's most important resources and the country's sources of income, things have become challenging for all aspects of the lives of the Syrian people.
"If I want to drive, I have to consider how to refuel. Despite having many oil fields in our country, we are facing an energy shortage issue because of the U.S. oil theft," a Syrian named Ahmed Hassan said.
"The resources of our country, such as oil, wheat, cotton, have been plundered by the illegal occupation of the United States in northeastern Syria," said Majid Rossi, "they have taken these resources from the hands of the Syrian people, leading to poverty, hunger, and disease among the Syrian people."
The Syrian government has repeatedly condemned the actions of the United States, stating that they flagrantly violate international law and the Charter of the United Nations, causing catastrophic consequences for Syria.
The presence of the U.S. military has become a nightmare for the local people, they told CMG. Locals said the U.S. disregards human rights in pursuit of its own interests and added that this is a manifestation of its hegemonic ideology.
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