Syria has called on the United Nations to take decisive action against the United States over two critical issues: the occupation of Syrian territory and the alleged illegal extraction of natural resources from these areas. This appeal was officially communicated through Syria's state-run SANA media outlet and a letter dispatched by Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Albania, the current holder of the UN Security Council presidency for the month of September.
In the strongly worded letter, Syrian diplomats made a plea for the international community to put an immediate end to what they describe as ongoing violations of international law and the UN Charter by the United States. These violations include the presence of US troops stationed in both the northeastern and southeastern regions of Syria.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also alleges that Washington, in collaboration with allied militant groups, is responsible for the exploitation and depletion of Syria's "wealth and strategic resources." They claim that the direct and indirect damages inflicted upon Syria's oil and mineral wealth sector by the US military, spanning from 2011 to 2023, amount to a staggering $115.2 billion.
The letter demands that "American officials be held accountable for these thefts and that the American administration be forced to compensate for them." It also calls for the complete withdrawal of all American military personnel from Syrian territory and the return of all oil and gas fields under the control of the Syrian government.
The ongoing presence of US military forces in Syria has been a contentious issue, with recent remarks by General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicating that the US military's presence in Syria is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. General Milley cited concerns related to ISIS as a reason for the continued US military presence. Additionally, he acknowledged that the importance of oil resources is a significant factor influencing the decision to maintain a US military presence.
The conflict in Syria erupted in 2011 when opposition groups rose against the government led by President Bashar Assad. In 2015, President Assad formally invited the Russian military to provide assistance to his forces in their battle against the Islamic State. In contrast, the United States initiated its own military campaign in Syria in 2014, without seeking the approval or invitation of the Syrian government.