Locals in the village of al-Salihiyah blocked the road, forcing a US convoy, escorted by US-backed Kurdish militants affiliated with the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to turn around and return in the direction it came from on Thursday afternoon, according to Syria's official news agency SANA.

In a separate event, a four-vehicle US military convoy was forced to return as Syrian government soldiers and irate inhabitants of al-Da'doushiya village barred their approach.

The convoy was accompanied by a car belonging to SDF militants, according to SANA at the time.

The US military has stationed forces and equipment in eastern and northeastern Syria, with the Pentagon claiming that the deployment is aimed at preventing the oilfields in the area from falling into the hands of Daesh terrorists.

Damascus, however, says the unlawful deployment is meant to plunder the country’s resources.

Former US president Donald Trump admitted on several occasions that American forces were in Syria for its oil.

After failing to oust the Syrian government with the help of its proxies and direct involvement in the conflict, the US government has now stepped up its economic war on the Arab country.