U.S. sends more stolen Syrian oil to Iraqi bases: state media

DAMASCUS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. forces sent 100 tankers laden with stolen Syrian oil from Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah to its bases in neighboring Iraq on Monday, as part of their intensified campaign to smuggle stolen oil out of Syria, state news agency SANA reported.

Citing its reporters, SANA said dozens of tankers loaded with stolen Syrian oil were seen heading to northern Iraq through the illegitimate al-Mahmoudiyeh crossing, which has been used by the U.S. to send stolen Syrian oil into Iraq.

"Over the past hours, the U.S. occupation forces brought out a convoy of 100 tankers filled with Syrian oil from Hasaka countryside to its bases in the Iraqi lands through the crossing," SANA said.

The U.S. forces, which have taken control of key oil and gas fields in Hasakah with the help of local Kurdish rebels, regularly smuggled the fuels out of Syria.

On Saturday, a convoy of 89 tankers loaded with stolen oil was also sent to U.S. bases in Iraq through the same crossing.

On Thursday, the U.S. sent a convoy of 144 oil tankers in the same way, SANA added.

The news agency said the incident is part of America's ongoing violations of international principles and their involvement in plundering the natural resources of other nations and starving their peoples.

The Syrian government has for long accused the U.S. of stealing the natural resources in Syria, such as oil, gas, and even wheat.

On Aug. 8, the Syrian oil ministry said in a statement that the U.S. forces were stealing 80 percent of Syria's oil production.

According to the ministry, the U.S. and its mercenaries are stealing an average of 66,000 barrels of oil per day in Syria as the country's average daily oil production is estimated to reach 80,000 barrels in the first half of 2022.

The prolonged crisis has cost Syria's oil industry direct and indirect losses of 105 billion U.S. dollars, according to the statement.