BEIRUT, August 13. /TASS/. Forces of the United States are responsible for the military escalation in eastern Syria, where terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (outlawed in Russia) intensified their activities recently, the Syrian Arab Republic’s foreign ministry said.

"US forces are sponsoring terrorists, who are responsible for the August 10 ambush on Syrian servicemen in the Deir ez-Zor governorate," the ministry said in a statement, published by the SANA news agency late on Saturday. "This criminal act was committed by those whom the United States uses as a tool for implementing its schemes in Syria and the entire region."

The Syrian foreign ministry underscored that the illegal US military presence on the territory of the country is accompanied by the plundering of its oil reserves and growing economic pressure on the people of Syria.

"The Americans blatantly violate Syria’s sovereignty and destabilize the situation in order to continue their occupation," the ministry said.

Damascus pledged to continue its operations against terrorists until the threat is fully eliminated.

"Syria also confirms its readiness to free its lands from US, Israeli and Turkish forces, in accordance with the international law," the document says.

At least 33 Syrian servicemen were killed on August 10 when a bus they were travelling in was ambushed near the city of Al Mayadin some 368 km away from the capital of Damascus. Medical sources said later that the death toll may grow, because 11 wounded servicemen were admitted to hospital in serious condition.

According to the Al Hadath television, terrorists carried out over 40 armed assaults in eastern Syria since the start of 2023, killing 67 servicemen and militiamen.