US increases protection over oil fields in Syria


The U.S. has increased its effort to secure oil fields in the Syrian provinces of al-Hassakah and Deir el-Zour, currently under the control of the PKK’s Syrian affiliate the People's Protection Units (YPG) terror group, with additional military deployments from Iraq.

According to the local sources in Deir el-Zour, elements of the U.S. army based in Iraq made deployments to the oil fields in the province after crossing the al Waleed border gate on Saturday night.

Footage obtained by Anadolu Agency (AA) shows that the logistics convoy contained 4x4 pickups, ambulances, minibuses and 100 rigs filled with fuel oil.

This is the second deployment of the U.S. army in a month. On Dec. 4-5, the army moved armored vehicles, pickups, heavy construction equipment and approximately 150 rigs into the region.

The moves coincide with Turkey's Operation Peace Spring, the U.S. having made military and logistic deployments to the region under the control of the YPG with approximately 500 rigs.

Currently, the U.S. has a total of 11 bases in the provinces of al-Hassakah, Raqqa and Deir el-Zour, which are currently under the control of the YPG.

On Oct. 15, U.S. army commanders had a meeting with tribal leaders in Deir el-Zour and declared that they would not withdraw. On Oct. 23, U.S. President Donald Trump said that they had secured the oil fields in the eastern parts of the country and would leave a certain amount of U.S. troops in the area even after withdrawal.