Large Boxes of Gold Bullions Airlifted
U.S. Uses Helicopters to Steal Syrian Gold
DAMASCUS (Dispatches) – U.S. President Donald Trump baffled the whole world last December when he said Daesh had been defeated in Syria, going on to announce the withdrawal of all American troops from the Arab republic.
Syrian state-run news agency SANA has cited local sources as saying that U.S. forces have used helicopters to transfer large boxes full of the "spoils" of Daesh terrorists from the Al-Dashisha area in Hasaka province's southern countryside.
The sources said the boxes contained huge amounts of gold that the terrorist group had safely stored east of Al-Shadadi city.
The account, SANA said, corresponds with other reports that Daesh had transported some 40 tonnes of gold bullions stolen from Mosul in Iraq and other areas in Syria to Al-Dashisha.
According to the sources, U.S. military helicopters arrived in Hajun in Dayr al-Zawr and Dashisha in Hasaka, transferring Daesh militants who had surrendered to American troops and later directed them to the stashes of stolen gold.
That came after a deal under which Washington "spared hundreds of the terror organization’s field leaders and experts," the report said.
The U.S. has previously been accused by multiple countries of organizing transportation for Daesh terrorists.
The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, has repeated reported that the U.S. military had used helicopters to evacuate Daesh commanders with their families or transport the terrorists to training camps.
Just two months ago, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said the U.S. was transporting Daesh militants to Afghanistan from Syria.
"Over the past year, the U.S. has moved a large number of Daesh terrorists to Afghanistan, which could once again create the same troubles in some parts of Asia that it created in Iraq and Syria," he said.
Last September, SANA reported that the U.S. had performed "an air landing operation" on the outskirts of Al-Marashida in order to airlift terrorist leaders to an unknown destination.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad warned on Sunday the United States would not protect those depending on it, in reference to Kurdish fighters who control much of the north.
"We say to those groups who are betting on the Americans, the Americans will not protect you,” he said without naming them. "The Americans will put you in their pockets so you can be tools in the barter, and they have started with (it).”
Trump declared in December he would pull troops from Syria, raising more questions over the fate of Washington’s Kurdish allies under the threat of Turkish attacks.
U.S. forces have long supplied arms and training to the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the Kurdish YPG militia, the main U.S partner in Syria. The U.S. presence helped the SDF seize swathes of north and east Syria, and has also been widely seen as a deterrent against Turkey which has vowed to crush the YPG.
Ankara sees the YPG as a security threat and an extension of the Kurdish PKK movement that has waged an insurgency on Turkish soil for decades.
The U.S. move drove Syrian Kurdish leaders into fresh talks with Damascus and its key ally Moscow, hoping to agree a deal that could protect the SDF region and safeguard at least some of their gains.
"Nobody will protect you except your state,” Assad said in a live televised speech on Sunday. "If you do not prepare yourselves to defend your country, you will be nothing but slaves to (Turkey).”
Syrian state-run news agency SANA has cited local sources as saying that U.S. forces have used helicopters to transfer large boxes full of the "spoils" of Daesh terrorists from the Al-Dashisha area in Hasaka province's southern countryside.
The sources said the boxes contained huge amounts of gold that the terrorist group had safely stored east of Al-Shadadi city.
The account, SANA said, corresponds with other reports that Daesh had transported some 40 tonnes of gold bullions stolen from Mosul in Iraq and other areas in Syria to Al-Dashisha.
According to the sources, U.S. military helicopters arrived in Hajun in Dayr al-Zawr and Dashisha in Hasaka, transferring Daesh militants who had surrendered to American troops and later directed them to the stashes of stolen gold.
That came after a deal under which Washington "spared hundreds of the terror organization’s field leaders and experts," the report said.
The U.S. has previously been accused by multiple countries of organizing transportation for Daesh terrorists.
The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, has repeated reported that the U.S. military had used helicopters to evacuate Daesh commanders with their families or transport the terrorists to training camps.
Just two months ago, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said the U.S. was transporting Daesh militants to Afghanistan from Syria.
"Over the past year, the U.S. has moved a large number of Daesh terrorists to Afghanistan, which could once again create the same troubles in some parts of Asia that it created in Iraq and Syria," he said.
Last September, SANA reported that the U.S. had performed "an air landing operation" on the outskirts of Al-Marashida in order to airlift terrorist leaders to an unknown destination.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad warned on Sunday the United States would not protect those depending on it, in reference to Kurdish fighters who control much of the north.
"We say to those groups who are betting on the Americans, the Americans will not protect you,” he said without naming them. "The Americans will put you in their pockets so you can be tools in the barter, and they have started with (it).”
Trump declared in December he would pull troops from Syria, raising more questions over the fate of Washington’s Kurdish allies under the threat of Turkish attacks.
U.S. forces have long supplied arms and training to the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the Kurdish YPG militia, the main U.S partner in Syria. The U.S. presence helped the SDF seize swathes of north and east Syria, and has also been widely seen as a deterrent against Turkey which has vowed to crush the YPG.
Ankara sees the YPG as a security threat and an extension of the Kurdish PKK movement that has waged an insurgency on Turkish soil for decades.
The U.S. move drove Syrian Kurdish leaders into fresh talks with Damascus and its key ally Moscow, hoping to agree a deal that could protect the SDF region and safeguard at least some of their gains.
"Nobody will protect you except your state,” Assad said in a live televised speech on Sunday. "If you do not prepare yourselves to defend your country, you will be nothing but slaves to (Turkey).”