In his piece for Global Research, Lendman quotes Bashar al-Assad's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem, who stated: "Turkey continues to maintain export and transportation of oil stolen in Iraq and Syria by ISIL [IS/Daesh] militants. Then, the oil is transported to ports abroad."
At the same time, former Iraqi Governing Council member Mowaffak al Rubaie confirmed in an interview with RT that Turkey is directly engaged in Daesh's oil smuggling from Iraq and Syria.
The US author cites him as saying: "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."
The former Iraqi official added that there is "no shadow of a doubt" that Ankara knows what is going on.
"Responsibility goes right to the top," Lendman stresses, adding that it is Erdogan's son Bilal who is actively selling stolen oil from Daesh-occupied zones in Syria and Iraq with the assistance of Turkey's security apparatus and intelligence.
On Dec 2, 2015 (15:00),National Centre for State Defence Control hosts briefing “Rus Armed Forces fighting against int. terrorism. New data”
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 1 декабря 2015
"We continue to receive facts of Turkey robbing its neighbors," Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov pointed out during the briefing entitled "Russian Federation Armed Forces fighting against international terrorism. New data."
The general staff reported that Turkey receives stolen oil through three major routes. Iraqi and Syrian crude is being transported to Turkey under the control of Daesh. Then, then stolen crude is delivered onward to other countries.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirms that it has ample evidence of Turkey's involvement in Daesh's oil trade.
"None of Turkey's top leaders, nor Mr. Erdogan in particular, will resign or admit anything, even if their faces were smeared in stolen oil," Anatoly Antonov remarked with a hint of irony, in a reference to Erdogan's vow to resign if his connection to Daesh is proved.
#СИРИЯ Удар #ВКС РФ по нефтехранилищу в районе н.п. МААРЕТ-ЭН-НУУМАН pic.twitter.com/t7ptaiN8cO
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 2 декабря 2015
Russian airstrike on Daesh oil refinery near Maarrat al-Nu'man
Lendman narrates that independent journalists have repeatedly reported that Ergodan's regime takes care of wounded Daesh terrorists in Turkish hospitals in border areas and Istanbul. Furthermore, the US author points out that would-be jihadi fighters have been trained by CIA operatives and US special forces in Turkey.
"America and other Western nations are well aware of what's going on, doing nothing to stop it, aiding it by inaction and/or direct support — Russia alone intervening by bombing ISIS' truck pipeline, transporting oil along with its facilities in Syria," Lendman stresses.
Notably, in May 2015 Turkish Cumhuriyet media shed some light on the incident and attached photos of the trucks. Needless to say, the publication's editor-in-chief now faces treason and espionage charges, Lendman remarks.
With the eyes of the world on him, it remains to be seen whether Recep Erdogan will do the honorable thing and keep his promise when all the evidence surfaces.
