US-Backed SDF Swaps Syria's Oil with US-Israeli Arms

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stationed in Deir Ezzur have exchanged Eastern Syria's oil in lieu of receiving American and Israeli arms and military equipment, sources said.

News ID: 444582

Date: 30 April 2019 - 15:04

RNA - "A military convoy comprising 70 trucks carrying military and logistic equipment (made in the US and Israel) has been dispatched by the US-led coalition from Iraq to Syria," the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported.

Meantime, the Syrian army continued its military advances in other parts of Syria over past 24 hours.

Tens of terrorists were killed and dozens more were injured during the Syrian army's operations in provinces across Syria.

Deir Ezzur

The SDF stationed in Deir Ezzur have exchanged Eastern Syria's oil in lieu of receiving American and Israeli arms and military equipment, sources said.

The SOHR reported that a military convoy comprising 70 trucks carrying military and logistic equipment (made in the US and Israel) has been dispatched by the US-led coalition from Iraq to Syria.

Meantime, the Arabic-language Rai al-Youm quoted local sources in Eastern Syria as saying that the SDF has swapped Syria's oil and gas with US and Israeli weapons.

The sources told the Kuwaiti paper that the SDF is currently engaged in implementing the US occupation plots after the US declared the end of the ISIL in Eastern Syria. The US-backed Kurdish fighters have adopted hostile policies against people in the region.

Meantime, people in the towns of al-Sovar, Moileh, al-Shahil and al-Hasan in Eastern and Southeastern Deir Ezzur continued protests against the SDF and their measures such as stealing oil in cooperation with some foreign energy firms, and blocked Deir Ezzur-Hasaka Road to keep SDF militias outside their town.

In a relevant development on Saturday, the US-backed Kurdish militants received state-of-the-art weapons and military equipment, including Israeli arms in Eastern Euphrates, the Arabic-language media reports said.

The pro-militant Arabic-language Al-Khabor news agency quoted informed sources as saying that the US-led coalition has delivered new military and logistical supports through Simalka crossing to its allied Kurdish fighters in Eastern Syria.

It noted that the said military shipment included advanced missiles, US air defense systems, Israeli anti-Tank Spike missiles, shoulder-mounted surface-to-air Stinger missiles and drones.

The advanced weapons delivered to the Kurdish fighters were transferred to a clandestine depot near Ramilan Airbase in Hasaka province which is guarded by the US marine forces and Kurdish fighters.

In a relevant development last week, the media reports said that the US dispatched a large number of trucks packed with new military aids to the SDF in Eastern and Northeastern Syria.

A US military convoy comprising 30 trucks loaded with weapons, military and logistic equipment has arrived in Ain al-Arab Airport in Northeastern Aleppo, pro-militant al-Khabor news website reported.

Al-Khabor, meantime, said that the SDF has discharged four weapons depots in Tal Bidar, Ramilan, al-Shadadi and al-Malekieh in Hasaka province and sent their weapons to arms depots in Ra'as al-Ain in Northern Hasaka, Tal Abyaz in Northern Raqqa and Ain al-Arab in Aleppo as well as al-Amar energy zone in Eastern Deir Ezzur.

It noted that the Kurdish forces' move comes as part of their plan to confront an imminent military offensive by the Turkish Army and its allied militants in Eastern Euphrates.

The Turkish-language Anatoly news agency also reported that hundreds of trucks carrying US-made military equipment have been sent for the SDF-controlled areas in Deir Ezzur.

It also noted that a large number of weapons and military equipment have been sent to the US-controlled al-Omar oil zone which is now under the US control, adding that a large number of vehicles and drilling machinery have also been sent to SDF-controlled towns.

In a relevant development earlier this month, media reports revealed that Washington has dispatched new military aid to the SDF in Eastern Euphrates after declaring an end in the war on ISIL.

Raqqa

The Syrian Army backed up by the Russian and Syrian air forces advanced in Western Raqqa province as the SDF retreat from the region, media reports said.

According to Fars News Agancy, the Syrian Army troops took control of Houreh al-Jariat region in Southern al-Tabaqeh in Western Raqqa after SDF retreated from there, the Arabic-language al-Mayadeen TV network reported.

It pointed to the tribal forces' support for the Syrian Army and reinforcement of new positions North of al-Thura oil region in Western Raqqa, and said the military operations was aimed at forging military positions in the surrounding areas of International Aleppo-Raqqa Highway.

Meantime, the US fighter jets flew over the region after the Syrian Army took full control over Houreh al-Jariat region.

The Arabic-language version of the Russian Sputnik News Agency also reported that the Syrian Army units backed by the Russian and Syrian air forces advanced three kilometers deep into the military positions of the SDF in Southwestern Raqqa in a battlefront stretching from Jaydeen in the East to Houreh al-Jariat and then Shoaib al-Zekr in the West in an area measuring 25 kilometers.

The source also said that the SDF has dispatched its fighters from the nearby areas to Houreh al-Jariat and towards its passage in Salmieh-al-Tabaqa road.

Aleppo-Idlib-Hama

The Syrian Army warded off the terrorists' attacks in Northern Syria, while foiling their offensives in Northern Hama and Southern Idlib, the Arabic-language media outlets said.

The terrorists, stationed in al-Ais town near Ankara-controlled observation post in Southwestern Aleppo, fired rockets and mortar rounds at al-Hazer town in Southwestern Aleppo, killing and wounding several civilians, the Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper reported.

It noted in the meantime that the Syrian Army units also foiled heavy attacks by the terrorists over the last month in Khalseh, al-Hawiz and Khan Touman at military positions in al-Harisheh and Mohit al-Thanieh in Southwestern Aleppo, inflicting heavy losses on them.

Meantime, the Syrian Army's artillery units backed by the Russian and Syrian air forces pounded the terrorists' military positions and movements in Kafar Zita, Horas Abedin, al-Latamaneh, Lahaya, Hasraya, al-Mostariheh, al-Karkat in Jabal Shahshabou, Kharbeh al-Naqous in North and Northwestern Hama, destroying several positions, hideouts and military vehicles as well as killing and injuring a number of them.

In Southern Idlib, the Syrian Army's artillery units hit the military positions and movements of the terrorists in the surrounding areas of Abedin town, destroying a number of military vehicles of the terrorists.

847/940