DAMASCUS, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- A convoy of 50 tankers laden with illicitly obtained oil from fields in northeastern Syria exited through an unauthorized crossing, heading toward Iraqi territories on Wednesday, Syria's state news agency SANA reported.

 

"U.S. occupation forces" had withdrawn numerous oil tankers filled from Syrian oil fields in the northeastern province of Hasakah, utilizing the unauthorized Al-Mahmudiyah crossing to transport the seized resources back to their bases in Iraq, said SANA.

 

Simultaneously, the U.S. forces arranged another convoy withdrawal, all passing through the unauthorized al-Walid crossing, also in the northeastern part of the country, en route to Iraqi territories, said the report.

 

The Syrian government has repeatedly accused the U.S. forces of "pillaging Syrian resources," a move that further exacerbates the economic hardships facing the war-torn country.

 

Syrian Oil Minister Firas Hassan Kaddour said last July that the U.S. presence in the country had led to economic losses of about 100 billion U.S. dollars in its energy sector.