AT LEAST three children have been killed and two others injured when a landmine planted by United States occupation forces exploded in Syria’s energy-rich northeastern province of Hasakah today.

News agency Sana, reported that children had been searching for scrap metal in an area close to a military facility housing US forces, when the landmine exploded on the outskirts of Qasrok village, located in the al-Malikiyah district of the province.

Local reports said two children were immediately killed while another died later in hospital.

Two other children are reported to be in critical condition.

Although teams operate throughout the region to try to remove the danger there are still thousands of shells, missiles and bombs dropped by US occupation forces littering the northern territories of Syria.

In recent years Syrian government forces, backed by Russia and Iran, have managed to win back control of almost all regions from terrorist groups.

The US military has stationed its forces and equipment in north-eastern Syria, with the Pentagon claiming that the deployment is aimed at preventing the oil fields in the area from falling into the hands of Isis terrorists.

Former US president Donald Trump admitted on several occasions that US forces were in the Arab country for its oil wealth.