Alwaght- A newly-leaked report on illegal oil sales by ISIS Takfiri terrorist group has revealed that most of the oil stolen by ISIS in Iraq and Syria is sold off in Turkey at very low prices.
Norwegian daily Klassekampen leaked details of the report, which was put together by Rystad Energy, an independent oil and gas consulting firm, at the request of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry.
“Large amounts of oil have been smuggled across the border to Turkey from IS-controlled areas in Syria and Iraq,”Klassekampen cited the report as saying. “[The] oil is sent by tankers via smuggling routes across the border [and] is sold at greatly reduced prices, from $25 to $45 a barrel.”
The crude oil is reportedly sold on the black market at greatly reduced prices, while the Brent benchmark is currently trading at $35-$50 per barrel.
To compile the report, which is dated from July, Rystad Energy used its own database as well as sources in the region.
“Exports happen in a well-established black market via Turkey,” the report concluded. “Many of the smugglers and corrupt border guards, who helped Saddam Hussein avoid international sanctions, are now helping ISIS export oil and import cash.”
Russia recently said it is aware of three main oil smuggling routes to Turkey, and Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov presented video evidence of operations, as well as detailed maps, at a briefing for journalists.
“Today, we are presenting only some of the facts that confirm that a whole team of bandits and Turkish elites stealing oil from their neighbors is operating in the region,” Antonov said, adding that this oil“in large quantities” enters the territory of Turkey via “live oil pipelines, “consisting of thousands of oil trucks.
Russia has also said it has information that the son of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is involved in lucrative oil trade crucial in funding the operations of ISIS Takfiri terrorist group in Syria. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in late November that there is evidence showing Erdogan’s son has an interest in the oil trade with the terrorists.
Some reports indicate that cheap Syrian oil that ISIS terrorists trafficked to Turkey may be the real reason for the attack on the Russian Su-24 bomber morning, November 24th.
Reports say the last eight months ISIS has managed to sell $800 million dollars worth of oil on the black market of Turkey. The oil was smuggled from ISIS occupied areas in Iraq and Syria.