Russia Calls US Move To Protect Syrian Oil Fields 'Banditry'

US and Turkish military forces conducting ground patrol in north-east Syria earlier this month (Picture: US Army).

Russia's Defence Ministry has criticised the US decision to send armoured vehicles and combat troops into eastern Syria to protect oil fields.

US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said the move is aimed at keeping the fields from potentially falling into the hands of militants with so-called Islamic State.

On Saturday, a US convoy of more than a dozen vehicles was seen driving south of the north-eastern city of Qamishli, likely heading to the oil-rich Deir el-Zour area or another base before it.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the convoy, saying it had arrived earlier from Iraq.

"What Washington is doing now, the seizure and control of oil fields in eastern Syria under its armed control, is, quite simply, international state banditry," said Major General Igor Konashenkov, the spokesman for the Russian Defence Ministry.

He added in a statement that "all hydrocarbon deposits and other minerals located on the territory of Syria do not belong to the IS terrorists, and even less to the 'American defenders from IS terrorists', but exclusively to the Syrian Arab Republic".

"The real cause of this illegal action by the United States in Syria lies far from the ideals that Washington has proclaimed and from the slogans of fighting terrorism," Maj Gen Konashenkov said.

Earlier this month, President Trump ordered US troops out of north-eastern Syria.

However, Mr Trump said he will leave up to 300 troops in southern Syria, before Mr Esper said another residual force is being considered in south-eastern Syria to protect oil fields.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke by telephone on Saturday about Syria.