Israel is the main buyer of ISIS oil!
MOSCOW, Russia (PNN) - December 3, 2015 - Kurdish and Turkish smugglers are transporting oil from ISIS controlled territory in Syria and Iraq and selling it to Israel, according to several reports in Arab and Russian media. An estimated 20,000-40,000 barrels of oil are produced daily in ISIS controlled territory, generating $1-1.5 million daily profit for the terrorist organization.
The oil is extracted from Dir A-Zur in Syria and two fields in Iraq and transported to the Kurdish city of Zakhu in a triangle of land near the borders of Syria, Iraq and Turkey. Israeli and Turkish mediators come to the city and when prices are agreed, the oil is smuggled to the Turkish city of Silop marked as originating from Kurdish regions of Iraq and sold for $15-18 per barrel (WTI and Brent Crude currently sell for $41 and $45 per barrel) to the Israeli mediator, known only as Dr. Farid, a man in his 50s with dual Greek-Israeli citizenship. He transports the oil via several Turkish ports and then on to other ports, with Israel among the main destinations.
In August, the Financial Times reported that Israel obtained 75% of its oil supplies from Iraqi Kurdistan. More than a third of such exports go through the port of Ceyhan, which FT describes as a “potential gateway for ISIS-smuggled crude.”
It's been well established that Turkey is a major transportation hub for ISIS oil smuggling operations. But where is the oil sent? Someone has to buy it. The answer, apparently, is Israel.
Al-Araby published an extensive investigation that lays out in detail how oil is transported from ISIS-controlled wells to Israel via Turkey.