Islamic State Budget Documents Leaked, No Place For Healthcare And Education After Defence Spends

It has set up a media cell that does better work than some PR agencies, schools for children and there’s even a standing army. And while its propaganda material may show children playing and a very ‘normal’ everyday life in the areas occupied by IS, its far from the utopia it projects itself to be.

But how does a terrorist organisation manage to run a ‘state’ and all its expenses that even countries fail to do. Leaked documents about the IS finance gives some insight into the way it functions. Mind you, its from a single province of Deir Ezzor, and just for a single month.

The documents list income and expenditure in separate columns and oil figures prominently in the income column. What’s surprising is that it made for only $2 million a month for the province. Much less than experts had anticipated. It’s well known that the oil extracted by ISIS is sold on the black market in Turkey and Iraq. The truth however is that some of the oil fields that the militant outfit controls had already peaked in the 90s. This is especially true for the field in Deir Ezzor. And making the most of these fields requires technical expertise that the Islamic State doesn’t have.

What’s even more surprising is that nearly 45% of the income in the province came from ‘confiscation’. Although the word ‘extortion’ would be more apt. For example if someone misses prayers for a set number of days, their belongings are confiscated. If someone is caught transporting materials that the IS deems illegal, the entire consignment is confiscated. In border areas, the IS extorts money from travelers in lieu of safe passage.

Worryingly for them, nearly 65% of the expenditure is in supporting the army that it has built up. Nearly $5 million. Another 10% of the income is spent on the Police force. This leaves only $2 million to spend on basics like healthcare, bureaucracy and social service. It comes pretty close to being a failed state.

When ISIS reached Iraq, it was estimated that they would have access to a lot of money from the bank deposits and from the oil fields in the region. With these latest leaks, the situation doesn’t seem to be in favour of the Islamic State. But what can’t be denied is that it still has access to a lot of money.

(Source : indiatimes.com)

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