Oil Deals For Syria Despite US Sanctions

Since the beginning of November, more than 1,000 tanks carrying oil have traveled from areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into Syrian-regime-controlled areas.

The SDF is an alliance of militias working against the Syrian National Army as well as the Islamic State (ISIS) and other forces. It broadly defines its goal as being the creation of a democratic Syria. A local source familiar with developments in this area of Syria told IranWire that the tanks belong to the Al-Qatirji Company, which has come under US sanctions. Despite this, tanks have successfully entered the city of Al-Tabqah in the southwestern Raqqa region via the Al-Hourah crossing.

According to the source, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, during the first two weeks of November, more than 1,000 oil tanks belonging to the Al-Qatirji Company crossed into the Autonomous Administration areas. The convoys then headed to the Rumailan oil fields for oil supplies before returning to the areas under the Syrian regime's control.

The source said the road is just one of many being used to transport oil. From these roads, the oil is then transported by ferry across rivers, or through pipelines connecting Al-Shuhail to Buqrus on either side of the Euphrates River. From the village of Buqrus, oil is then transported by vehicles to Al-Qatirji Square, located between Buqrus and Al-Zabari. Finally, the Al-Qatirji Company transports the oil to the Syrian regime's refineries.

IranWire has obtained a video clip showing the route taken from Kurdish-controlled areas to areas under the control of the Syrian regime.

The SDF, which is made up of Kurdish and other militias, controls 11 Syrian oil fields, constituting 80 percent of oil in the eastern region of Syria. It sells oil to the Syrian regime at a price of $30 per barrel, according to IranWire's source.

The source pointed out that one of the most prominent people dealing with Al-Qatirji in the Qasd regions is the fuel contractor at the Al-Omar oil field, Ahmad Al-Rajwan, from the town of Khasham.

The areas under the regime's control have suffered a fuel crisis for several weeks, evidenced by videos and photographs showing lines of cars at gas stations extending back several kilometers.

The Syrian regime lost control of the majority of Syrian oil fields in northern and eastern Syria, which were first taken over by ISIS, and then Kurdish units.

Since 2014, the US Treasury has imposed sanctions on oil facilities belonging to the regime. It also prohibits US citizens and companies from dealing with the Baniyas and Homs Refineries.

The Treasury also imposed sanctions on the Al-Qatirji company in 2018 for its role in facilitating the transportation of oil shipments between the regime and ISIS.