An officer who defected from the Syrian army revealed that the Assad regime transferred equipment used for oil drilling and refining in areas under ISIS control.
The officer, who declined to reveal his real name, told Ugarit news website that the equipment had recently arrived at the Latakia port from Russia. He added that regime officials tasked him with moving the equipment to ISIS-held territories. However, he explained that he declined to do the job, prompting Russia and the Assad regime to look for an alternative agent.
The officer added that the Assad regime supplies ISIS with food items imported from Russia as part of the oil trade.
Earlier, the German government said the Assad regime is buying oil from ISIS terrorists.
Deputy spokeswoman for the German Foreign Ministry Sawsan Chebli told a news conference in Berlin on Tuesday that there was evidence of oil transactions between the Assad regime and Daesh (ISIS).
When asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claim that Turkey was buying oil from ISIS, Chebli said that German authorities have no information relating to these particular claims.
“But what we know for example is that the Assad regime has received large amounts of oil from ISIS. We have evidence; we have indications showing that this is the case,” she added. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
