Along with the illegal export of Syrian oil, US forces were said to have brought six military vehicles carrying 50 troops from Iraq into Syria, with the forces beefing up the US presence at the makeshift Kharab al-Jeer airport in northeastern Hasaka.

In related news, residents of the village of Tal Sateeh took to the streets in the Qamishli countryside on Thursday, carrying national flags, portraits of Syria’s president, and signs demanding that both Turkish and “Zionist US occupation” forces withdraw from the region immediately, and stop plundering their land, oil and wheat resources, Russian news agency of Sputnik reported.

The US has been strengthening its presence in Syria in recent weeks, despite promises by President Trump to withdraw from the war-torn country late last year. Last week, US officials and Syrian media reported the delivery of additional troops and vehicles into the country from neighboring Iraq.

Last year, Russian military intelligence released a report on US oil-smuggling activities in Syria, revealing that the Pentagon, the CIA, private military contractors and Kurdish militias were engaged in the illegal shipment of more than $30 million-worth of Syrian oil out of the war-torn country each month.

Satellite image provided by the Russian Defense Ministry shows oil transit vehicles gather in Deir ez-Zor Province, Syria, 10 km east of Al Mayadin as part of the US's illegal operation to ship oil out of Syria.

Reporter’s code: 50101