According to videotapes issued by Russian defence on its YouTube channel that shows its air fighters shelling oil fields and facilities in Deir Ezzor where they were targeting “Islamic State” sites as Russians declared.
JFL observed the videotapes with experts who have experience in the domain of oil along with technical details about the targeted sites. The following results are based on JFL information concerning the targeted sites.
- Al Oamr Filed
On September 23rd 2015, the Russian ministry of defence released a videotape for targeting huge oil tanks. After checking, we found out that the targeted site is Al Omar Field – located in the east of Deir Ezzor, 17km away from Mayadin city. Neither dormitory town nor the gate, where IS members existed, were shelled. The targets were oil tanks which can not contain a single human being inside.
The attacked tanks are 401, 402, and 403. The height of each one is 18 meters with diameter of 25 meters. According to the released images, no gas tanks were attacked. Periodic maintenance works were carrying out but, since the beginning of backlashes in Syria no maintenance or cleaning works were conducted, and according to experts, this led to emerging of SLUG. It is feared that after those tanks were exploded Beta and Gamma radiations will diffuse into the vicinity and cause damage to the people, animals, and the soil for years.
According to experts’ estimations, the production of Al Omar field during the domination of “Islamic State” has reached to 10000-15000 bbl. per day throughout 17 wells. Targeting the flow lines between those tanks would lead to the same objective if the purpose of the strikes was to prevent IS from benefitting from oil. Whereas the strikes targeted the infrastructure that will cost millions of dollars to rehabilitate it.
- Al Jafra Field
Likewise, in the released videotape, Al Jafra oil field that located near to Jadeed Okaydat village – 35 km away from Deir Ezzor city was targeted. As confirmed by the experts, this field contain a major laboratory for crude oil analysis and control of oil flow. The production reaches to 8000 bbl. per day that gathered from 15 wells.
The main objective for attacking this field is to prevent “IS” from operating it where “IS” aimed recently in cooperation with experts to operate the field and benefit from its production.
- Al Milih Well
It is located in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor and 20 km away from Gharaneej village. – Targeted On September 23rd 2015 -. The estimated production is approximately 9000 bbl. per day during the period of “IS” domination. As soon as “IS” controlled the well, they started selling in black market along with fuelling up their vehicles. The released videotape shows the targeting of mobile tanks that were waiting for their turn to transport crude oil from the well to Iraq. As confirmed by eyewitnesses, most of mobile tanks were with Iraqi plates. “IS” has established in Okayshat village – 20 km away from Al Boukamal- a maintenance workshop for fabricating and repairing mobile tanks in order to keep them well prepared during the transportation to Musul.
- Al Izba Site
It is located 10 km north of Deir Ezzor city near to Al Hsan village. This site is considered as gathering point for eight wells around Al Suar village in Deir Ezzor countryside such as Azraq 1 and 2. The estimated production is approximately 8000 bbl. per day.
Russian bombardment targeted dated November 23, according to published Russian Ministry of Defense.
Conclusion
The nature and manner of the airstrikes shows, beyond reasonable doubt, that the targeted goals are the infrastructure and to cause as much as damage for the oil facilities not only stopping them from operation as Russian Defence has declared. the grave concern is the radiations that diffused from the oil tanks that will damage all forms of life for years.
- The results verify the following:
- The gravity of the Russian intervention on the civilians lives where the Russian warplanes do not discriminate between civilians or military people, and do not have any humanitarian values where populated areas being shelled without any slight hesitation.
- The gravity of the Russian intervention on the infrastructure and particularly oil facilities where there is no excuse for destroying it but to bring Syria back to medieval ages as Mr.Putin acclimatized us.
- The Russians are seizing the chance that their attacks on the sites dominated by “IS” are not condemned in order to target all existing sites.
JFL confirms that the domination of “IS” on Deir Ezzor province does not justify killing the civilians and targeting populated area. JFL calls for keeping civilians away from the undesired horror of war.
