- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

You’re Doing It Wrong: What the West Needs to Do to Beat ISIL

© AFP 2023 / BARAA AL-HALABI A rebel fighter from the "First Battalion" under the Free Syrian Army takes part in a military training in the rebel-held countryside of the northern city of Aleppo.
A rebel fighter from the First Battalion under the Free Syrian Army takes part in a military training in the rebel-held countryside of the northern city of Aleppo. - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Western countries need to cut off ISIL's supply of money and stop arms from coming from the Gulf monarchies, a German journalist says.

Banner bearing a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a street in the city of Damascus - Sputnik International
US Congressmen to Obama: Forget Assad, Fight ISIL
Jurgen Todenhofer, a German journalist who has visited ISIL-controlled territories, told RT that in order to deal a serious blow to the terrorist group, the West needs to first and foremost disrupt the delivery of armaments and money from the Gulf monarchies.

The journalist remarked that while the militants didn’t confirm it, he had the impression that ISIL is still getting weapons and funds from countries such as Saudi Arabia.

The weapons and munitions supplied to the Kurdish Peshmerga squads and to the Free Syrian Army also often end up on in the hands of ISIL militants via the black market, Todenhofer observed.

"They told me, ’Even if we don’t conquer these weapons, we can buy them, because everything has a price. Most of our ammunition we get from the Free Syrian Army,’" he said, pointing out that the ammunition in question was largely supplied to the Free Syrian Army by the US.

The issue of the porous Syrian-Turkish border, which is constantly being traversed by fresh ISIL recruits, also needs to be addressed, Todenhofer added.
At the same time he cautioned against a direct military confrontation between the Western militaries and Islamic State forces.

"I cannot judge the Russian army but I can judge the Western armies. The American Marines and special forces have no chance in a fight against guerilla fighters, because these fighters are ready to die, and Americans Marines do not want to die," he said.

In 2014 Jurgen Todenhofer became the first Western journalist to visit the ISIL-controlled territories, including the militants’ so called capital of Raqqa, and return home safely. He spent 10 days among the militants, having long discussions with them and observing their daily life.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала