Iraq: ISIS Likely to Increase Kidnappings As Oil Money Dries Up

Apr 13, 2015 | Luke Hurst, Newsweek
View Original

The Islamic State could step up its kidnapping operations to raise funds, following the loss of control of three oil fields in Iraq, according to security analysts.A report in a German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung last week cited a German security services document which said that ISIS now only has 5% of its previous oil extraction capabilities after losing control of oil fields in the country.The loss of revenue will hit ISIS hard, and result in the group looking to raise funds through other avenues according to Colin Clark from the RAND corporation, a thinktank which provides analysis to the U.S. military.