Assad talks Trump "transparency" about plans to control Syria oilfields

PanARMENIAN.Net - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Thursday, October 31 that U.S. President Donald Trump was the “best American president” for his “complete transparency” about intentions to maintain control of Syria’s main oilfields in Deir al-Zor province, Reuters reports.

U.S. troops have begun deployment in the province in coordination with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to increase security and continue the fight against remnants of Islamic State, a U.S. military spokesman said on Thursday.

The withdrawal paved the way for a Turkish offensive against the Kurds and left them feeling abandoned by the United States and forcing them to work a deal with Damascus to help them resist Turkish forces. Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist organization because of its links to Kurdish militants in southeastern Turkey.

The Kurds would not be asked to immediately hand over their weapons when the Syrian army enters their areas in a final deal with them that brings back state control to the large swathe of territory they now control, Assad said in in a state television interview.

“There are armed groups that we cannot expect they would hand over weapons immediately but the final goal is to return to the previous situation, which is the complete control of the state,” he said.