Page 9 - MEOG Week 02 2023

MEOG POLICY & SECURITY MEOG

Fresh attacks hit oil-

rich Syrian provinces

SYRIA OFFICIAL Syrian news agency SANA has included preventing access to oil by Syrian gov-
reported attacks at Al Yarubiyah in Al-Hasakah ernment forces and Russia, Esper added: “The
Province and the Al-Tayyem oilfield in Deir short answer is, yes, it presently does.” The US
ez-Zor. has chiefly relied on income from oil to fund SDF
The reports alleged that US forces were in their fight against Islamic State militants in the
responsible for the attack near Al-Hasakah city, region.
where local sources claimed that 60 trucks filled The militant group continues to have a pres-
with looted grain and fuel had been taken into ence in the area Al- Tayyem in Deir ez-Zor,
Iraq via the Al-Mahmoudiya crossing. where state media reported that 10 people were
In December, the Syrian Foreign Ministry killed and two injured in an attack on three
estimated that the country had incurred losses busses. Omar Abu Layla, executive director of
of around $20bn as a result of similar operations Deir ez-Zor 24, said: “ISIS always, always tries
by the US military. It noted: “The American to prove to its supporters and members that
occupation forces and the militias associated they are still present and that they can reach any
with it continue their organised looting of oil, point they want. This is a clear message from the
wheat and other basic resources and the national group.”
wealth of the Syrian people.” The attack started with the detonation of an
In 2019, the Pentagon said it would aim to explosive device, whereupon the attackers pro-
keep the US-backed, anti-Assad Syrian Dem- ceeded to fire upon the busses with hand-held
ocratic Forces (SDF) in control of Eastern Syr- weaponry, according to the Syrian Observatory
ia’s oilfields. US Defence Secretary Mark Esper for Human Rights, an organisation based in the
said: “US troops will remain positioned in this UK.
strategic area to deny ISIS access to those vital Their estimate of twelve deaths lies at odds
resources. And we will respond with over- with state reported figures. Abu Layla further
whelming military force against any group that mentioned that often attacks such as these
threatens the safety of our forces there.” were aimed at busses carrying soldiers, and that
Upon being asked whether this position reasons for these could be to increase tensions

Week 02 11•January•2023 www. NEWSBASE .com P9