US Occupation of Syrian Territories Provides Fertile Ground for Terrorists: Russia

"The problem of terrorist threats in northeastern Syria is pressing. The US troops that are illegally deployed there cannot bring order. Or they don’t want to," Gennady Kuzmin said at a session of the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

"The atmosphere of a power void and impunity around the US forces’ deployment areas serves as a nourishing ground for terrorists of all stripes," he added, according to TASS.

"Local gunmen have become so strong and defiant that they ventured to openly attack the locations of detention of their ‘brothers-in-arms’," the diplomat said. "As a result, even those terrorists, who were put behind bars earlier, turn out to be at large."

According to Kuzmin, the withdrawal of the US occupation forces from Syria will allow Syrians "to purge the remaining ‘terrorist pustules’ on their territory and to ensure civilians’ security."

"As practice shows, the Syrian government is able to cope with these tasks much more effectively," the Russian deputy permanent representative stated.

The US military has illegally stationed forces and equipment in eastern and northeastern Syria, with the Pentagon claiming that the deployment is aimed at preventing the oil fields in the area from falling into the hands of Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorists.

The Syrian government, however, insists the unlawful deployment is intended to plunder the country’s resources.

Former US president Donald Trump admitted on several occasions that American forces were in Syria for its oil.

Washington has stepped up its economic war against the Arab country after failing to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with massive assistance from its Western European, NATO and Arab allies, along with their proxy forces, including Daesh and various other terrorist groups.