U.S. Troops Blocking Russians’ Access to Oil Fields in Northeast Syria

Jan. 27, 2020 (EIRNS)—Over the past week or so there have been a number of encounters between Russian and U.S. troops in northeastern Syria, where the U.S. side has blocked Russian convoys from access to oil fields. In the latest incident, which apparently occurred Jan. 26, ten armored vehicles carrying American soldiers stopped Russian military vehicles west of Al-Hasakah province while they were trying to reach the M4 highway to reach key oil fields in the province, reported the Turkish Daily Sabah.

Following the incident, the Russian military sent a helicopter from the base in the town. In response, the U.S. military sent two helicopters to the area, forcing the Russian helicopter to land. The Russian military convoy then apparently turned back and returned to their home base. This is reported to be the fourth such incident in eight days. The Russians, unlike the Americans, were requested to help the Damascus government rid the country of the terrorists and bring Syrian refugees home.

U.S. State and Defense Department officials, in briefings last week, continued to insist that the U.S. mission in Syria is to protect Syrian oil fields from being seized by remnants of the Islamic State terror group, and to ensure that revenues from those fields go into the coffers of the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces.