Russia says a recent US attack on pro-Damascus forces proves that Washington is not fighting Daesh but rather it is seeking to plunder Syria’s economic assets.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement released on Thursday that the US raid once “again showed that the US is maintaining its illegal presence in Syria not to fight the Daesh group, but to seize and hold Syrian economic assets.”

The US military said on Wednesday it had killed at least 100 pro-Damascus fighters to allegedly fend off an attack on the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria’s eastern Dayr al-Zawr Province.

Syria’s official SANA news agency described the US “aggression” as an “attempt to support terrorism.”

The Russian Defense Ministry said the Syrian forces were carrying out an anti-Daesh operation near the al-Isba oil refinery in Dayr al Zawr when they were targeted by US aircraft.

The US and its allies back militants fighting to topple the Syrian government. They have also been bombarding what they call Daesh positions inside Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate. 

The strikes, however, have on many occasions resulted in civilian casualties and failed to fulfill their declared aim of countering terrorism.’

Read more: US in Syria to plunder country’s economic assets: Russia