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Losses resulting from the United States occupation of northern Syria, a region that is reach in oil, gas and many other natural resources, has succeeded $111 Billion, the Syrian Foreign Ministry revealed on December 14.
The U.S. first dispatched its forces to Syria in 2014 under the pretext of combating ISIS. Today, an international coalition led by the U.S. and backed by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces controls vast parts of the northern region, including key oil and gas fields and facilities from al-Omar in Deir Ezzor to Rmelan.
The coalition also maintains a large garrison in the southeastern area of al-Tanf with help from some local rebels. The garrison blocks a key highway that links the Syrian capital, Damascus, with Baghdad, the capital of neighboring Iraq.
In a statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry detailed the losses caused by the U.S. occupation, revealing that the oil sector was the most effected.
“The latest statistics expose that the direct losses total value from the assaults committed by the U.S. forces, militias and affiliated terrorist entities on Syrian territory has amounted to $25.9 billion. $19.8 billion of looting oil, gas and mineral resources, $3.3 billion resulting from vandalizing and ransacking of facilities. $2.9 billion the value of damages caused to the oil and gas installations by the so-called international coalition bombing of these installations,” the statement reads.
“The indirect losses exceed $86 billion, which represents the value of lost production (crude oil, natural gas, domestic gas, oil derivatives, mineral resources) as a result of lower production than planned rates in normal working conditions, and therefore the total value of the Syrian oil sector losses has recorded $111.9 billion.”
The ministry went on its statement to call on the United Nations to end the U.S. occupation of northern Syria and help improve the humanitarian situation in the war-torn country.
“Syria re-demand the UN to adopt urgent steps to cease the violation of international law by the U.S. and its allies and ensuring compensation for these violations, ending the illegitimate presence of US forces, returning the oil and gas fields occupied by those forces to the Syrian state, and the immediate and unconditional lifting of the unfair coercive measures in order to improve the humanitarian situation and provide appropriate conditions for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of the displaced and refugees to their homeland,” the ministry said.
The statement came as Syria is suffering from an unprecedented shortage of fuel that is affecting all aspects of life in the country.
The U.S. has been working to expand and fortify many of its bases in northern Syria, especially the ones located within key oil and gas fields, for the last few years. According to official counts, around 900 American troops are currently deployed in the country.
Washington does not appear to be planning to withdraw its forces from Syria any time in the near future. This will likely damage the country’s unity and territorial integrity on the long term.
