Russia is discussing with the Assad regime the expulsion of Iranian militias from an oil field near Raqqa
Local news websites in northeastern Syria said that the Russian forces held a meeting with a number of leaders of the Assad regime forces in the southern countryside of Raqqa, to discuss the possibility of expelling pro-Iranian militias from an oil field in the area and extending control over it.
The local “Ein al-Furat” website said: “Two Russian helicopters carrying four Russian officers, coming from the Hmeimim Air Base, landed in the Al-Thawra oil field, last Sunday.”
According to the website, the leader of the “Tiger” militia called Suhail al-Hassan and two commanders affiliated with him, and the leader of the “Al-Hawareth” militia, in addition to a militia leader linked to Air Force Intelligence attended the meeting.
The website added that the goal of the meeting, which took place last Sunday, revolves around the possibility of stopping Iranian expansion in the region, strengthening the Russian presence, and expelling the “Fatimiyoun” militia from the Al-Thawra oil field, by bringing in military reinforcements linked to Russia.
Over the past few days, the Russian forces brought military reinforcements from the “Hmeimim” air base to the region, in conjunction with the request of the “Fatimiyoun” militia of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, for reinforcements from the rest of the militias linked to Iran.
It is noteworthy that the rivalry between the Russian-backed militias and those loyal to Iran has begun to expand in an attempt to control the areas of distribution of oil and gas fields in central and northern Syria, in an effort by the two parties to compensate for their material losses resulting from the intervention in the Syrian conflict.
