ISIL Forced to Halve Its Militants' Monthly Salaries in Tough Times
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group has announced plans to halve the monthly salaries of its members in Syria and Iraq.
The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, a Britain-based group close to Syria's foreign-backed opposition, published what it said was an ISIL statement announcing the cuts.
"Because of the exceptional circumstances that the Islamic State is passing through, a decision was taken to cut the salaries of the mujahedeen in half," the Arabic statement said, according to AFP.
"No one will be exempt from this decision no matter his position, but the distribution of food assistance will continue twice a month as usual," it said.
ISIL has declared a self-styled "caliphate" across swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.
According to Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, the salary cuts meant Syrian ISIL militants would see their salaries drop to about $200 from $400 per month.
Foreign fighters, who were paid double the Syrian militants, would have their monthly income reduced to $400, Abdel Rahman told AFP.
The terrorist group strives to show that it operates a full-fledged state, with government institutions, hospitals, and schools.
The financial strain could be a result of intensified airstrikes on its oil infrastructure in Syria and Iraq.
A US-led coalition is conducting an air war on the group in both countries, and Russian warplanes are also targeting the militants in Syria.
