Competition for oil and gas fields intensifies in Syria

The Russians are strengthening their positions in Syria on the left bank of the Euphrates. This is technically related to the attack on IS, but many experts believe it is a rivalry mainly between US-backed forces and a coalition of Russia and government forces to develop the Euphrates Valley and oil and gas fields.

In Syria, the fight against IS is beginning to play a secondary role. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) took control of two oil refineries on Saturday, as well as two major oil and gas fields in the Dajr al-Zaur province of eastern Syria.

On Tuesday, following the next clash between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Russian forces supporting the Syrian government (SAA), Russian media announced the construction of a bridge across the Euphrates River, east of eastern Syria's largest city, Dayr al-Zaur.

This is formally linked to the offensive carried out there by the Russian-backed SAA against the Islamic state. However, the struggle is already playing a secondary role in the rivalry between the US-backed SDF and the Russia-SAA coalition to develop the Euphrates Valley and the left bank of the oil and gas fields.

Syrian authorities and Russian supporters accuse the Kurds of expanding south. It was speculated on Tuesday that there could be clashes between the SDF and the SAA in the towns of Qamyshlo and Hasak, which are controlled by the Kurds and the SDF, but also by the SAA.