US military base in eastern Syria comes under heavy rocket fire

A military facility housing US forces in Syria’s eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr has reportedly come under rocket fire from nearby areas.

The Arabic service of Russia’s Sputnik news agency, citing local sources, reported that ‏several massive explosions were heard in the area close to the US-controlled al-Omar oil field late Friday, after barrages of projectiles struck the site.

Local sources said a number of ambulances were dispatched to the site as rocket sirens were sounded out.

All roads leading to the occupied military facility were sealed by US-backed Kurdish militants affiliated with the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). 

The sources did not rule out the possibility of serious injuries and damage.

US military jets and reconnaissance drones flew intensely over the field following the attacks. No group has yet claimed responsibility for them.

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• US Syria looting: Occupation forces smuggle 95 tankers of stolen oil into Iraq overnight

The US military has for long stationed its forces and equipment in northeastern Syria, with the Pentagon claiming that the deployment is aimed at preventing the oilfields in the area from falling into the hands of Daesh terrorists.

Damascus, however, maintains that the deployment is meant to plunder the country’s natural resources. Former US president Donald Trump admitted on several occasions that American forces were in the Arab country for its oil wealth.

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• Refugees complain about dire situation in US-controlled al-Tanf region in southern Syria

Report: Turkey to completely withdraw forces from northern Syria

Meanwhile, Syria’s pro-government al-Watan daily newspaper reported that Turkey had agreed to completely pull out its military forces from areas in northern part of the war-ravaged Arab country.

The report comes as Russian, Turkish and Syrian defense ministers met in Moscow on Wednesday, the first such talks since the Syrian conflict broke out in March 2011.

Turkey has deployed forces in Syria in violation of the Arab country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

Ankara-backed militants were deployed to northeastern Syria in October 2019 after Turkish military forces launched a long-threatened cross-border invasion in a declared attempt to push members of the YPG, which forms the backbone of the SDF, away from border areas.

Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist organization tied to the homegrown Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region in Turkey since 1984.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials have said Damascus will respond through all legitimate means available to Turkey’s ongoing ground offensive.

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