Syrian troops withdrew from Omar oil field, one of the last regime
positions east of Deir Ezzor city near the Iraqi border, a watchdog
said Friday, adding that rebels now control the country's major fields.
"Government troops pulled back on Thursday from the Omar oil
field north of the town of Mayadeen after having lost the Conoco gas
reserve on November 27," the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights reported.
Rebels last week seized the strategic town of Mayadeen, taking
control of a huge stretch of territory east of Deir Ezzor city along
the Iraqi border. This area is now the largest outside regime control.
The insurgents took control of an oil field for the first time
on November 4 when they overran Al-Ward, the most important in the
province, the Observatory said.
After also losing control of Al-Jofra field also in November,
the army now controls not more than five fields, all located to the west
of Deir Ezzor city, the watchdog said.
Deir Ezzor province contains the largest energy reserves in the country.
Syria produced some 420,000 of barrels of oil a day before the
U.S. and the European Union in August and September 2011 banned the
import of Syrian petroleum and petroleum products to put pressure on the
Damascus regime.