News / Syria

Saudi Arabia deploys dozens of troops to key oil field in eastern Syria: Report

Saturday, 21 December 2019 4:27 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 21 December 2019 4:33 PM ]

This file picture shows a view of an oil field in Syria. (Photo by Anadolu news agency)

Saudi Arabia has reportedly deployed dozens of combat troops to a major oilfield in Syria’s eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr as the United States and some of its regional allies are vying with one another to seize oil reserves and plunder natural resources in the war-battered country.

Informed local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Arabic service of Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency that the Saudi soldiers arrived at Omar oil field aboard helicopters.

The sources added that the troops are expected to guard Saudi and Egyptian experts, who arrived at the energy facility a week ago and are believed to be working for Saudi Arabia's giant state-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco.

The report noted that the deployment of Saudi soldiers to the oil field coincided with the arrival of about 30 trucks equipped with digging and drilling machinery.

PressTV-US attempts to control Syria oil fields 'robbery’: Russia

The Russian foreign minister says the US attempts to establish control over Syria’s facilities amount to "robbery."

The sources said the vehicles had entered Syrian territory from northern Iraq, and that Saudi soldiers have been stationed in a residential area close to Omar oil field that currently houses American troops.

In late October, Washington reversed an earlier decision to pull out all of its troops from northeastern Syria, announcing the deployment of about 500 soldiers to the oil fields controlled by Kurdish forces in the Arab country.

The US claimed that the move was aimed at protecting the fields and facilities from possible attacks by the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group. That claim came although US President Donald Trump had earlier suggested that Washington sought economic interests in controlling the oilfields.

US military convoy enters oil fields in northeast Syria

A large US military convoy enters oil fields in northeastern Syria despite condemnation of the deployment as “tantamount to robbery”.

Pentagon chief Mark Esper then threatened that the US forces deployed to the oil fields would use “military force” against any party that might seek to challenge control of the sites, even if it were Syrian government forces or their Russian allies.

Syria, which has not authorized American military presence in its territory, has said the US is “plundering” the country’s oil.

On Wednesday, China’s special envoy for Syria said the United States’ pretext for extending its military presence in the Arab country, namely to protect Syrian oil fields, was untenable.

‘Who has given the Americans the right to be in Syria?’ China asks

China’s special envoy for Syria questions the United States’ pretext for extending its military presence in the Arab country, namely to protect Syria’s oil fields.

“Who have given the Americans the right to do this? And, at whose invitation is the US protecting Syria’s oil fields?” Xie Xiaoyan said at a press conference in Moscow.

“Let’s think the other way around: will the US allow Syria to send troops to US territory to protect oil fields there?” he said.

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US US Syria Syria Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Egypt Egypt Middle East Middle East US army US army Dayr al-Zawr Dayr al-Zawr Aramco Aramco oil oil gas gas oil field oil field Daesh Daesh Daesh militants Daesh militants Daesh Takfiri group Daesh Takfiri group energy sector energy sector Saudi soldiers Saudi soldiers Saudi Aramco Saudi Aramco