A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry has denounced the illegal presence of US military forces in war-ravaged Syria, saying that Washington’s continued looting of the country’s energy and mineral resources have further exacerbated the sufferings of Syrian people.

“It is appalling to see the sheer scale of US plundering in Syria, which has been going on as the country tries to emerge from a crisis that has dragged on for over a decade and a grave humanitarian crisis facing its people. There is no greater injustice than the world’s wealthiest country robbing one of the poorest,” Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference in the capital Beijing on Tuesday.

He stressed that US aerial attacks across Syria have resulted in a high number of civilian casualties and immeasurable economic loss, and displaced more than 12 million people.

“Just last week, the US military launched another round of airstrikes in eastern Syria in a string of violations against Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Zhao noted.

The senior Chinese diplomat went on to condemn harsh US economic sanctions on Syria, arguing that the bans have cut the Syrian nation off basic necessities of life and seriously obstructed the country’s economic development and reconstruction.

“US troops control Syria’s oil, natural gas and other natural resources. They continue to occupy Syria’s main oil fields and have plundered more than 80% of the country’s oil products. They have smuggled and burned Syria’s grain stock, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis there,” Zhao stressed.

“The US should thoroughly reflect on its war-related crimes, stop its illegal military presence and operations in Syria, lift unilateral sanctions on Syria, and stop stealing oil and grain from Syria. The US needs to return to Syrian people the freedom, wealth and dignity that are rightfully theirs,” the spokesman pointed out.

The US military has stationed forces and equipment in northeastern Syria, with the Pentagon claiming that the deployment is aimed at preventing the oilfields in the area from falling into the hands of Daesh terrorists.

Damascus, however, maintains the deployment is meant to plunder the country’s natural resources. Former US president Donald Trump admitted on more than one occasion that American forces were in the Arab country for its oil.

On Monday, Iran’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations said the United States has unlawfully stationed its military forces in the energy-rich northeastern part of Syria under the pretext of “combating terrorism”, urging an end to the US occupation of Syria and its support for terrorism.

Zahra Ershadi made the remarks at a United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East (Syria) in New York.

“The United States’ presence in the northeast of Syria under the pretext of combating terrorism is a clear violation of the UN Charter, international law, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria,” Ershadi explained.

She added, “It is the United States that is working with the terrorist groups in Syria and destabilizing peace and security in the region. The United States must cease its violation of international law and the UN Charter by ending its continuing support for terrorist groups and occupation of the northeastern part of Syria.”

The Iranian diplomat called on the Security Council to live up to its Charter mandate and demand that the US honor its international obligations.