U.S. troops continue to smuggle Syrian oil into Iraq: media

DAMASCUS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. forces smuggled 40 truckloads of stolen Syrian oil from northeastern Syria into Iraq on Saturday, Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

The oil was taken from the Rmailan area in the northeastern Syrian province of Hasaka, said the report.

The U.S. convoy, escorted by armored vehicles, also transported truckloads of weaponry from Hasakah into Iraq through an illegal crossing, SANA added.

The Syrian government has repeatedly accused the U.S. forces of stealing Syrian oil and depriving the Syrians of their own resources amid a harsh economic situation caused largely by the U.S. sanctions.

The U.S. forces have established various bases in the oil-rich areas in Hasakah and took control of the oil and gas fields there.