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Representatives of the Qatirji firm and leaders of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) met within the Tabqa Civil Council — affiliated with the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria — in early August to debate the opportunity of growing oil shipments that the corporate, which is listed on the US sanctions record, transports between government-held areas and people managed by the SDF in northeast Syria. Qatirji demanded to boost the weekly variety of tankers to 400, from 250, whereas the SDF demanded that the Syrian authorities present it with 100 tankers of diesel and gasoline, as an alternative of fifty.
One other assembly is scheduled between Qatirji representatives and leaders of the Raqqa Navy Council subsequent week within the metropolis of Raqqa, to debate a mechanism to guard the tankers from being focused with explosive gadgets by unknown people within the space.
This comes because the SDF prevented Qatarji’s oil tankers from coming into its areas of management Aug. 7, after the federal government violated an understanding reached between the 2 events earlier, whereby the SDF would provide the federal government with 200 crude oil tankers from the fields of Rmelan and Deir ez-Zor, in alternate for offering the SDF with 50 tankers loaded with gasoline and diesel. Qatirji additionally kept away from paying monetary dues associated to earlier oil shipments.
A supply within the Autonomous Administration informed Al-Monitor on situation of anonymity, “After a number of rounds of negotiations and conferences between Qatirji representatives and SDF leaders, an settlement was reached [in early August] to supply the regime-controlled areas with 400 oil tankers per week by means of al-Hawra and al-Tabqa crossings from the Rmelan and al-Shaddadi fields. Qatirji would transport them to the Homs refinery, at a value ranging between $3,240 and $3,960 per tanker, which accommodates 180 barrels of oil. Thus, the worth of 1 barrel will vary between $18 and $22, relying on the standard of the oil. Qatirji would additionally provide our areas with 100 tankers of refined diesel and gasoline weekly.”
The supply added, “Regardless of the repeated disputes between the regime and the SDF, and no matter Qatirji failing to pay its dues, the 2 events agreed to extend the quantity of oil that will likely be exported to the regime-controlled areas, because of Russian pressures to alleviate the gas disaster that the regime-controlled areas undergo from. Qatirji pledged to pay all of the dues by means of installments that will likely be added to the quantity that will likely be paid for the tankers that will likely be exported. Russia will accompany Qatirji to guard the vans from being focused by Islamic State cells, and make sure that the vans are transported immediately or issues.”
Wael Olwan, an Istanbul-based researcher on the Jusoor Heart for Research, informed Al-Monitor, “On account of the stress that it exerted on the Syrian regime, Russia granted Qatirji the privilege of controlling the oil transportation with out bringing in one other accomplice and even involving the regime on this course of. Qatirji turned a direct accomplice of the Khmeimim base firstly of July. Qatirji primarily transports gas from SDF-controlled areas by means of the Tall Adas station in al-Malikiyah to refineries on the Syrian coast, and brings refined gas to SDF-controlled areas. Forces from the Syrian regime will accompany these vans in return for monetary charges paid by Qatirji.”
He famous, “Russia has awarded the Qatirji-affiliated Arfada firm a five-year funding contract for al-Taym and al-Ward oil wells in Deir ez-Zor, every of which produces 2,500 barrels per day. The regime allowed Arfada final yr to determine two oil refineries in partnership with the Ministry of Oil and Mineral Assets in Damascus, which owns 15% of the partnership shares, whereas the Lebanese Sallizar delivery firm owns 5%, and Arfada owns 80%.”
Because the Syrian conflict erupted in 2011, america has imposed a sequence of sanctions on the Syrian authorities, essentially the most distinguished of which was the Caesar Act. Nonetheless, the SDF, a US ally, violates the Caesar Act and provides the Syrian authorities with oil and gasoline, producing revenues estimated at $120 million.
A report issued by the Syrian Community for Human Rights (SNHR) in July monitored such operations for the reason that issuance of the Caesar Act and its entry into drive in June 2020 till July 2021. The quantity of smuggled oil in December 2020 alone signifies that the Syrian authorities was equipped by the SDF with 1,500 oil tankers, with a capability of 40,000 liters every, roughly 500,000 barrels of oil per 30 days, which is equal to six million barrels per yr. Because the value of a barrel of oil is $20, the SDF makes about $120 million yearly from promoting oil to the federal government. Smuggling operations have an effect on practically 50% of the oil produced within the SDF-controlled areas, estimated at 11 million barrels of oil yearly.
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