US comment on the fate of Syrian oil

ARK News: The US State Department says oil is being extracted by local authorities in the territories under its military control in eastern Syria.

"Oil is extracted by local authorities for the benefit of local communities and we have not received any instructions from the US government on what to do with Syrian oil mines," a senior State Department official said
.
So he answered the question of whether the option of US companies involved in oil extraction in these areas is being considered.

About 90 percent of Syria's oil is extracted on the east bank of the Euphrates River. The oil was previously a major source of revenue for ISIL (banned in Russia) and is now largely controlled by US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Earlier, US President Donald Trump had ordered the expansion of the US military mission to ensure the security of oil fields in eastern Syria.

The Associated Press said in a statement that such a move would raise the "legal question" whether the US military would be able to attack Syrian, Russian or other troops if it threatened the oil fields.

It is understood that this decision would mean the presence of hundreds of US troops in Syria, but Trump had earlier announced the withdrawal of US troops. According to the new plan, the US military must defend an important part of Syrian-controlled Syrian territory from Deir al-Zour to al-Hasaka.

"The Trump ruling will call into question the assumption that more than 1.2,000 US-based troops will return home soon," the expert said.

Earlier, Pentagon chief Mark Esper had said that the United States would protect the oil fields in Syria and respond with force to its capture. According to him, US troops do not intend to allow Russia or the Syrian army to occupy the fields.

Russia's special envoy to northeast Syria should be controlled by the Syrian government, Russian special envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev said.

Later, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin announced that Moscow would not cooperate with the US on the Syrian oil issue.

"It is about the national wealth of the Syrian people and … only the Syrian people should own their own natural wealth," Sergei Vershinin said.

404