Turkish-Syrian border

''At any time if the United States truly wanted to strike an irreparable blow at ISIS forces, it could simply seal off the Turkish border across which the summation of ISIS’ supplies, fighters, weapons, and vehicles flow. By securing the Turkish-Syrian border to the north, and the Jordanian-Syrian border in the south, the United States could strangle ISIS out of existence in a month, if not sooner.
 * — Tony Cartalucci, US Complains as Russia Bombs Its Terrorists - New Eastern Outlook, October 1, 2015

Turkish oil trade with ISIS

 * ''Erdogan: "If you allege something you should prove it"
 * ''Russian MoD: "Here's the proof, will you resign now?" (data)

"It is difficult to get precise revenue estimates on the value to ISIL of these transactions in light of the murky nature of the market, but we estimate that beginning in mid-June, ISIL has earned approximately $1 million a day from oil sales. There are good indications, however, that recent coalition military efforts have begun to impair ISIL’s ability to generate revenue from oil smuggling. Airstrikes on ISIL oil refineries are threatening ISIL’s supply networks and depriving it of fuel to sell or use itself. Moreover, our partners in the region, including Turkey and the Kurdistan Regional Government, are committed to preventing ISIL-derived oil from crossing their borders."
 * Attacking ISIL’s Financial Foundation, Remarks of Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen, treasury.gov, October 23, 2014


 * Senior Western official: Links between Turkey and ISIS are now 'undeniable' - Natasha Bertrand, Business Insider, Jul. 28, 2015
 * ''NATO member Turkey has long been accused by experts, Kurds, and even Joe Biden of enabling ISIS by turning a blind eye to the vast smuggling networks of weapons and fighters during the ongoing Syrian war.
 * Meet The Man Who Funds ISIS: Bilal Erdogan, The Son Of Turkey's President - ZeroHedge, November 26, 2015
 * Sources? Iranian media claimed Erdogan sons relationship and oil trade with IS, (translation, photos), July 26, 2015. Now Russian sources repeat those claims, saying it was further trafficked by son shipping company and alleging other family involvement


 * How Turkey Exports ISIS Oil To The World: The Scientific Evidence - ZeroHedge, November 27, 2015
 * According to research by Nafez Ahmed also cited by ZeroHedge, the main oil smuggling route to Turkey goes through Iraqi Kurdistan (KRG). A piece by Al Araby agrees and alleges that from there, a broker nicknamed "Uncle Farid" facilitates deals whitewashing the oil in Turkey, a large extent of which then goes to through Ceyhan to Israel.
 * A book written by Hürriyet's Washington correspondent in early 2015 about the (more or less legal) oil business between Turkey and KRG points to Erdogan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak, married to daughter Esra, as a key figure in getting it run in the key phase around 2011, Today's Zaman reported in March 2015. In late November 2015 he was appointed Minister of Energy.
 * The content of the Al Araby article has been "angrily denied" by KRG according to a news agency close to them. The presentation by the Russian MoD which contains similar information was met with angry denial as well.


 * Could some of the remaining oil go on BMZ Group tankers from Ceyhan via Odessa to Ukraine? Two pieces translated at Fort Russ suggest as much.
 * SANA video said to be from Bab al-Hawa border crossing (said to be controlled by al Nusra) (map). Shows many trucks, said to be crossing from Syria to Turkey. Oil tanker trucks are alleged to be there (e.g. Cassad). What is actually seen looks like ordinary trucks, not tankers though. Maybe smugglers do not use regular tankers to transport oil?-but no definite information here. This is a rather short footage, does not mean there are no tankers crossing. Russia claims there are lots of tankers seen from the air (Putin showed some photos at the latest G-20 meeting).
 * According to Wikipedia, On 7 December 2013, the Islamic Front took over the crossing from the Free Syrian Army, and as of July 2014, they were manning the Syrian side with members of the Salafist militia Ahrar ash-Sham.


 * RT video shows bombing raids and some oil fields footage. Rather primitive facilities, so looks plausible that oil may be smuggled by trucks, not tanker trucks. Iraqi MP and former national security adviser, Mowaffak al Rubaie interview to  RT (with more truck footage illustrating the interview)  "In the last eight months ISIS has managed to sell ... $800 million dollars worth of oil on the black market of Turkey. This is Iraqi oil and Syrian oil, carried by trucks from Iraq, from Syria through the borders to Turkey and sold ...[at] less than 50 percent of the international oil price Now this either get consumed inside, the crude is refined on Turkish territory by the Turkish refineries, and sold in the Turkish market. Or it goes to Jihan and then in the pipelines from Jihan to the Mediterranean and sold to the international market"
 * Another video made of bits and pieces, trucks and tankers on it-Zvezda News
 * "Russian planes hit terrorist' oil tanker trucks", Rusvesna video, Dec 4, 2015  another, shorter version . Gives a good view of those trucks...


 * ISIS Oil, Vijay Prashad, December 3, 2015