Syrians denounce presence of US-backed SDF militants in Aleppo

Dozens of people in Syria’s northern province of Aleppo have staged a demonstration in protest at the deployment of US-sponsored and Kurdish-led militants from the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the area and the their arbitrary practices.

Syria’s official news agency SANA, citing local sources, reported that the residents of al-Shuyukh village converged in the strategic town of Manbij on Saturday, protesting the seizure of their property and occupation of their houses by SDF militants.

The demonstrators also argued that the US-backed forces do not allow them to return to their houses after locals had to depart in the wake of Daesh terrorists’ advances late last year.

The sources noted that SDF militants had arrested a number of protesters, and sealed off all roads leading to the protest site in Manbij.

Turkish-backed militants burn thousands of acres of farmland in Syria’s Hasakah

Turkish-backed Takfiri militants set fire to thousands of acres of croplands in Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah.

Security conditions are reportedly deteriorating in the areas controlled by the SDF in Hasakah and Dayr al-Zawr provinces amid ongoing raids and arrests of civilians by the US-sponsored militants.

Locals argue that the SDF’s constant raids and arrest campaigns have generated a state of frustration and instability, severely affecting their businesses and livelihoods.

Residents accuse the US-backed militants of stealing crude oil and failing to spend money on service sectors.

Local councils affiliated with the SDF have also been accused of financial corruption. They are said to be embezzling funds provided by donors, neglecting services and not meeting the people’s basic needs.

US sends fresh military convoy to Hasakah

Separately on Saturday, the US dispatched a new military convoy to Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah.

The convoy, comprising of 35 trucks carrying logistics and military equipment, entered Syrian territories via al-Waleed border crossing, and entered the city of Qamishli, located 680 kilometers (420 miles) northeast of the capital Damascus, later.

The development took place only two days after a convoy of 50 tankers crossed into the Jazira Region of Hasakah as Washington and some of its regional allies are fiercely vying with each other to control oil reserves in the war-ravaged Syria and plunder its natural resources.

Russia to US: Leave Syria, deal with your own crisis

Russia has called on the United States to end its illegal occupation of Syria and instead deal with its own internal crises.

Since late October 2019, the United States has been redeploying troops to the oil fields controlled by Kurdish forces in eastern Syria, in a reversal of President Donald Trump’s earlier order to withdraw all troops there.

The Pentagon alleges that the move aims to “protect” the fields and facilities from possible attacks by Daesh, ignoring the fact that Trump had earlier suggested that Washington sought economic interests in controlling the oil fields.

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

The presence of US forces in northern and eastern Syria has particularly irked the civilians, and local residents have on several occasions stopped American military convoys entering the regions.

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