Putin blames some G20 member of financing ISIS

Europe, Middle East, News November 16, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

Putin urges for concentrated efforts and support from the US, European nations, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran on the battle with terrorist organizations

Forty countries including some G20 members are funding the Islamic State (IS), Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the two-day G20 Summit which ended in Turkey Monday, RT reports.

During the summit, “I provided examples based on our data on the financing of different Islamic State (IS, also ISIS) units by private individuals. This money, as we have established, comes from 40 countries and, there are some of the G20 members among them,” Putin told the journalists.

Putin also spoke of the urgent need to curb the illegal oil trade by ISIS.

“I’ve shown our colleagues photos taken from space and from aircraft which clearly demonstrate the scale of the illegal trade in oil and petroleum products,” he said.

“The motorcade of refueling vehicles stretched for dozens of kilometers, so that from a height of 4,000 to 5,000 meters they stretch beyond the horizon,” Putin added, comparing the convoy to gas and oil pipeline systems.

It’s not the right time to try and figure out which country is more and which is less effective in the battle with Islamic State, as now a united international effort is needed against the terrorist group, Putin said.

Putin reiterated Russia’s readiness to support armed opposition in Syria in its efforts to fight Islamic State.

“Some armed opposition groups consider it possible to begin active operations against ISIS with Russia’s support. And we are ready to provide such support from the air. If it happens it could become a good basis for the subsequent work on a political settlement,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Russian President also urged for support to fight terrorist organizations.

“We really need support from the US, European nations, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran,” Putin added.

“Our efforts must be concentrated on the battle with terrorist organizations.”

Putin also disagreed with Western criticism of Russia’s actions in Syria, where the country has been carrying out a large-scale air campaign against Islamic State and other terror groups since September 30.

“It’s really difficult to criticize us,” he said, adding that Russia has repeatedly asked its foreign partners to provide data on terrorist targets in Syria.