Hundreds of militants belonging to Daesh are defecting to other groups over a cut in their salary, an Iraqi source says.
“Fighters have left recently as the money which was once lavished on them has become increasingly less reliable,” a source in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, told the Daily Mirror, a British national newspaper.
According to the UK daily, at least 200 militants belonging to Daesh (ISIL) have left the group and are retreating from northern Iraq to find better pay from other groups in neighboring Syria.
“Some are unhappy with their prospects,” the source said.
Daesh used to pay nearly USD 300 a month to its members each. Daesh, however, has cut the salaries to almost USD 100 as it has reduced the number of its cash convoys between the areas under militant control for fear of getting targeted.
Drug trafficking, the sale of oil, the sale of antiquities, and ransom from abductions are the main sources of revenue for Daesh. Furthermore, reports indicate that wealthy individuals in the Persian Gulf region have raised a major amount of fund for militant groups.
Experts have estimated the militants’ daily income from illegal sales at 2-3 million dollars. In addition, a report by the United Nations published last November stated that Daesh makes approximately USD 96,000 to USD 123,000 per day from ransom payments.
The UN Security Council in February adopted a Russian-drafted resolution aimed at cutting funding to the Daesh, the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front based in Syria and other al-Qaeda-linked groups.
The resolution urges countries not to buy oil or antiquities from the militants and refrain from paying them ransoms and if any individual or state is involved in such activities with the terrorists, they must be charged as accomplices of terrorists.
Daesh seized swathes of land in Iraq and Syria. They have also extended their activities to other countries, including Libya.
They are engaged in crimes against humanity in the areas under their control.
Editor's note: This article has been edited from the source material
