Syria demands immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces

DAMASCUS, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Saturday demanded the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria.

In a statement, the ministry said the U.S. presence in Syria was illegal and demanded an end to the U.S. support to the Kurdish-led militias, which the ministry said served the U.S. interests in Syria.

Meanwhile, the ministry condemned the theft of Syrian oil by the U.S. forces, saying that "the continuation of U.S. despicable policy of stealing Syrian oil across the Syrian-Iraqi border and transporting it to northern Iraq represents piracy and an attempt to return to the outdated colonial times."

It further said that the U.S. practices run counter to international law and UN charters, demanding the UN Security Council to condemn the act.

The ministry also said Syria reserves the right to get compensation from the United States for the losses it caused and the oil it plundered.