Iraq: No Country for Oil Men: Tracking Islamic State’s Oil Assets in Iraq

Aug 11, 2017 | Wim Zwijnenburg, Bellingcat
View Original

Now the so-called Islamic State (IS) has lost Mosul as their capital in Iraq, two isolated pockets remain where the terror group has control over land, namely Tel Afar and Hawijah. Sustaining their military operations has become more difficult now IS has lost access to their abundant oil resources, both wells and refineries. Reporting suggests the group increasingly relies on oil smuggling to obtain crude and refined oil. Satellite images shows that, just like in Syria, IS is using artisanal oil refining.