If not oil, then antiquities; US looting of Syrian wealth continues

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
4 Apr 2023 13:55
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Local sources in Qamishli's western countryside document severe damage to Syria’s historical heritage and antiquities, most notably in the North, as per SANA.

Treasures from the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria, pictured, were found for sale on the black market. (AFP)

The areas where the US occupation forces are deployed in cooperation with US-backed SDF militia dealt with widespread looting of Syrian archaeological sites in the war-torn country’s Jazira region, as well as the northern province of Raqqa, a new report by Syria's news agency SANA, revealed.

Local sources in the western countryside of Qamishli confirmed to SANA that the US occupation forces, which have been stationed on the Tell Mozan side, have intensified the theft of ancient Syrian artifacts. US occupation troops have also expanded the areas they unlawfully label as "prohibited military zones," subjecting them to strict security measures to easily smuggle the artifacts they looted to unidentified destinations.

The report further highlighted that the US forces occupy some of the most significant archaeological sites in the world, including Tell Baidar, Al-Hamma area, the Life Stone, Tell Mozan, and a series of hills in the eastern countryside of Qamishli.

Informed sources in the village of Al-Qahtaniya in the province of Raqqa affirm that US occupation forces have stolen artifacts, such as seals and statues, from the archaeological site of Tell Leilan and transferred them to their illegal bases in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah where they will later be smuggled out of the country.

Armed SDF members also took a priceless statue from the town of Qasrok in the countryside of Al-Ya'rubiyah and moved it to an unidentified destination, as per the report.

It is noteworthy that the US has for long employed the alleged "ISIS threat" as a pretext to continue its illegal occupation of northeastern Syrian territories.

US occupation forces frequently loot oil from Syrian gas fields and transport them to other occupation bases in Iraq via illegal crossings.

In early March, the US House of Representatives voted against legislation instructing Biden to end the US occupation of the Syrian Al-Tanf region and remove approximately 900 troops.

Currently, the US army and other foreign forces, participating in the so-called "International Coalition", occupy no less than 28 declared military sites in Syria, distributed over three governorates: Al-Hasakah (17 sites), Deir Ezzor (nine sites), and Homs (two sites).