Syria has supplied 600,000 barrels of heavy crude oil from Tartus port, its first crude oil exports in 14 years, Reuters reported, citing a Syrian energy official.

This move is part of broader efforts by Syria to revitalise its economy following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December last year.

The oil, sold to B Serve Energy, was extracted from several Syrian fields, according to Riyad al-Joubasi, Assistant Director for Oil and Gas at Syria's Energy Ministry.

The exports were facilitated by a deal with a trading company, with the heavy crude oil transported on the Nissos Christiana tanker.

Before the conflict that began in 2011, Syria exported 380,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd).

The war severely damaged the economy and infrastructure of the country, drastically reducing crude production. The new Islamist-led government has committed to economic revival, including the energy sector.

BB Energy, linked to B Serve Energy, has not responded to requests for comment on the transaction.

The Syrian Energy Ministry's written statement confirmed the exports but did not disclose the specific oilfields involved.

Most of Syria's oilfields are located in the north-east of the country, controlled by Kurdish-led authorities, who have had strained relations with the central government.

During the war, control of oilfields frequently shifted, and US and European sanctions impeded legal energy trade.

These sanctions persisted for several months following Assad's removal, challenging the new administration's energy imports.

However, following the lifting of US sanctions by US President Donald Trump in June, US companies have developed plans to assist in exploring and extracting Syrian oil and gas.

Additionally, Syria has entered into an $800m (S£10.4trn) memorandum of understanding with DP World to develop and operate a multi-purpose terminal at Tartus, replacing a previous contract with a Russian company during Assad's tenure.