Russia's defence ministry has accused the United States of international banditry after Washington announced its intention to protect Syria's oil fields which are controlled by Kurdish forces. In a statement in Moscow today, it said that what Washington is currently doing in eastern Syria is simply international banditry motivated by a desire to protect oil smugglers and not by real security concerns.<br />'' <br />'' The ministry said that all hydrocarbon deposits in Syria do not belong to the Islamic State terrorists and even less to US defenders against Islamic State terrorists, but exclusively to the Syrian Arab Republic.<br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' The statement comes after US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said US troops were reinforcing their positions, including with mechanised forces, in Deir Ezzor, the country's largest oilfields, near the Iraqi border. Mr Esper told reporters on a visit to Brussels that their mission will be to prevent the Islamic State group from gaining access to oil fields and securing resources that may allow them to strike within the region, to strike Europe and the United States. Some 200 US troops are currently stationed there.</span><br />''  <br />