Russia-Turkey row over facilitating ISIL oil trade

Global Business

Russia and Turkey continue to trade accusations that the other is facilitating an oil trade with ISIL. The two world powers have been locked in a war of words since Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet in November that it said it warned after it crossed into its airspace from Syria.

CCTV’s Natalie Carney reports from Mersin, Turkey.
Follow Natalie Carney on Twitter @NatalieCarney77

Moscow claims the illegal actions go as high up as the Turkish President’s own family. Ankara says it, too, has evidence Russia has been benefiting from the black market trade.

Russia claims Turkey is not only buying from, but also facilitating this lucrative black market trade and claims it has images that prove it.
Moscow says they show tanker trucks, loaded with oil from areas controlled by Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, crossing into Turkey.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Turkish President vehemently denied this, vowing to step down if the accusations are proven true.


Daveed Garenstein-Ross on ISIL’s funding

CCTV America’s Owen Fairclough interviewed Daveed Garenstein-Ross, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.


While the United States supports Ankara, citing a lack of any solid evidence, Moscow blames Washington for being involved in a “cover-up.” Iraq and Iran have also come out supporting Russia’s accusations.

Trucks carrying Kurdish oil have been crossing into Turkey since 2014. Iraqi Kurds have been exporting crude via Turkey, defying Baghdad, who have called the move “illegal.”

CCTV America