Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
US airstrikes destroy over $500 million ISIS cash reserves: reports
For those unaware, ISIS brings in around a billion a year in proceeds from various illicit activities including, but certainly not limited to, illegal crude sales, slave trading, and taxes...
US airstrikes destroy over $500 million ISIS cash reserves: reports
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/us-airstrikes-destroy-over-500-million-isis-cash-reserves-reports/
The estimate comes amid reports that the terror group is facing cash shortage in its so-called caliphate, slashing the perks and salaries of its fighters across the region.
That is probably a low estimate, a US official was quoted as saying. The official said the figure is in “the high hundreds of millions of dollars.” An additional 20 kilogrammes of gold is also believed to have been destroyed by the airstrikes, the report said.
The official said five airstrikes near Mosul this weekend targeted two ISIS financial distribution centers and two ISIS financial storage centers.
That is probably a low estimate, a US official was quoted as saying. The official said the figure is in “the high hundreds of millions of dollars.” An additional 20 kilogrammes of gold is also believed to have been destroyed by the airstrikes, the report said.
The official said five airstrikes near Mosul this weekend targeted two ISIS financial distribution centers and two ISIS financial storage centers.
ISIS Stops Handing Out Snickers Bars, Gatorade As Cash Crunch Deepens
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-17/isis-stops-handing-out-snickers-bars-gatorade-cash-crunch-deepens
In any event, the group’s ability to fund its activities through the sale of stolen oil has been curtailed and it will be months (at least) before that money can be recouped through the capture of Libyan crude. That means less money for fighters and civil servants. And it also means no more Gatorade. And no more Snickers bars.
“The extremists who once bragged about minting their own currency are having a hard time meeting expenses, thanks to coalition airstrikes and other measures that have eroded millions from their finances since last fall,” AP reports. “Having built up loyalty among militants with good salaries and honeymoon and baby bonuses, the group has stopped providing even the smaller perks: free energy drinks and Snickers bars.”
In Iraq, where Islamic State has slowly been losing ground over the past year, the Iraqi government in September cut off salaries to government workers within territory controlled by the extremists, after months of wavering about the humanitarian costs paid by those trapped in the region. Iraqi officials estimate that Islamic State taxed the salaries at rates ranging from 20 to 50 percent, and analysts and the government now estimate a loss of $10 million minimum each month.
In the Iraqi city of Fallujah, fighters who once made $400 a month aren't being paid at all and their food rations have been cut to two meals a day, according to a resident. The account of the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of death at the hands of extremists, was supported by that of another family trapped in Fallujah that said inhabitants can only leave the city if they pay $1,000 — a sum well beyond the means of most in the Sunni-majority city that was the first in Iraq to fall to Islamic State in 2014. IS is also allowing Fallujah residents to pay $500 for the release of a detainee, the family in Fallujah told the AP, saying that they believed the new policy was put in place to help the group raise money — a system akin to bail.
“The extremists who once bragged about minting their own currency are having a hard time meeting expenses, thanks to coalition airstrikes and other measures that have eroded millions from their finances since last fall,” AP reports. “Having built up loyalty among militants with good salaries and honeymoon and baby bonuses, the group has stopped providing even the smaller perks: free energy drinks and Snickers bars.”
In Iraq, where Islamic State has slowly been losing ground over the past year, the Iraqi government in September cut off salaries to government workers within territory controlled by the extremists, after months of wavering about the humanitarian costs paid by those trapped in the region. Iraqi officials estimate that Islamic State taxed the salaries at rates ranging from 20 to 50 percent, and analysts and the government now estimate a loss of $10 million minimum each month.
In the Iraqi city of Fallujah, fighters who once made $400 a month aren't being paid at all and their food rations have been cut to two meals a day, according to a resident. The account of the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of death at the hands of extremists, was supported by that of another family trapped in Fallujah that said inhabitants can only leave the city if they pay $1,000 — a sum well beyond the means of most in the Sunni-majority city that was the first in Iraq to fall to Islamic State in 2014. IS is also allowing Fallujah residents to pay $500 for the release of a detainee, the family in Fallujah told the AP, saying that they believed the new policy was put in place to help the group raise money — a system akin to bail.
6 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
how do we know what those buildings were? or what they contained? that "cash" flying around could have been anything.
