Damascus calls on occupying US forces to stop bombing Syrians, leave the country
US helicopters bombed villages in Deir Ezzor governorate this week in support of the Kurdish-led SDF
Syria, on 10 August, called on the United States to stop bombing Syrians, stop supporting Kurdish "separatist militias," and immediately withdraw from Syrian territory.
A statement issued by the Syrian Foreign Ministry said: "US warplanes, with the support of the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) militia, launched several raids in Deir Ezzor, Hasakah, and Qamishli, targeting innocent civilians defending their families, villages, and properties."
Earlier, a Syrian security source told Sputnik that US helicopters bombed several villages in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, enabling the SDF to regain the villages and towns they lost two days ago after violent battles with Syrian government-backed tribal forces.
The statement added: "The SDF, which is an agent of the American occupation, launched criminal attacks on our people in Deir Ezzor, Hasakah, and Qamishli, in addition to other villages in the eastern and northeastern regions. These barbaric attacks led to the martyrdom of a number of Syrian citizens, including women and children."
The US military began partnering with the Kurdish (YPG) People's Protection Units in 2014. An offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the YPG later changed its name to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Together, the US and SDF occupy Syria’s northwest, including Hasakah, Raqqa, and parts of Deir Ezzor, denying Syria access to its oil resources and wheat-producing agricultural land. Syria also suffers under brutal US economic sanctions, which have further impoverished the war-torn country.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry statement continued: "The Syrian Arab Republic reaffirms that the US occupation of part of Syrian territory represents a flagrant violation of Syria's sovereignty and the unity and integrity of its territories, and that the United States' support for its agent separatist militias represents a cheap tool to implement its hostile plans against Syria."
Syria stressed that "all these inhumane and immoral practices against its people in the eastern and northeastern regions, including preventing the arrival of food and drinking water, aim to double the suffering of the Syrians and prolong the war against them."
The statement continued, "Syria affirms that the will of its people to liberate their land and preserve their sovereignty will be achieved no matter how great the sacrifices are, and the terrorism and crimes of those militias will not weaken its resolve."
For its part, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) claimed 13 civilians have been killed and twelve others injured in attacks by Syrian government troops in Deir Ezzor in the past week as part of a campaign against the SDF.
Xebat Siettî, from the command of the SDF’s Hajin Military Council, said, "The troops of the Damascus government and the gangs of Difa al-Watani have massively bombed our positions. There was also an attempted infiltration on the ground. The Hajin Military Council repelled the attackers, who then retreated to the other bank of the Euphrates.”