ISIS Weapons Came From China, Russia, US, EU

The report, based on expert analysis of verified videos and images, claims that ISIS fighters have been using arms mainly seized from Iraqi military stocks. IS managed to acquire most of its munitions by raiding weapons depots of the Iraqi government army. This was a seminal moment in the development of the modern global arms market, when at least 34 different countries supplied Iraq with weapons – 28 of those same states were also simultaneously supplying arms to Iran.

Iraqi security forces display vehicles, weapons and ammunition confiscated from ISIS in June 2014.

While the bulk of weapons were taken from the Iraqi military, others came in seizures from the Syrian military as well as opposition groups that have received shipments from Western supporters.

“IS fighters acquired a windfall of internationally manufactured arms from Iraqi stockpiles”, Amnesty reported. “Further capture of state military equipment by Daesh remains a possibility, until we can carry out the action to deny them space and safe haven”.

Adding to the conflicting messages of his address, Obama then urged Congress to grant him an authorization for the ISIS war, saying it was time for them to demonstrate America’s “unity” and that they are “committed to this fight”. US officials use ISIL instead of ISIS to emphasize the group’s goal to expand its influence beyond the borders of Syria and Iraq.

By showing these weapons have enabled the IS to carry out human rights abuses including summary killings, hostage-taking, rape and torture, AI hopes its report will make governments take account of the situation that poor regulation, lack of oversight and virtually unhindered freedom for arms exporters has created.

A new intelligence report commissioned by the White House says that the ISIS terror group will grow in numbers and territory unless it suffers significant losses in Iraq and Syria.

When Islamic State (ISIS) took control of these areas, these weapons were theirs for the taking.

It also said any country that wants to export weapons needs to invest in pre- and post-delivery controls, as well as training and monitoring after the sales. Daesh’s operations in Syria and Iraq have unfolded against the backdrop of a permissive security environment in which a wide variety of arms and vehicles have flowed for decades.

“The big takeaway for us is that you have to look historically at this and the long process whereby states often recklessly and irresponsibly send arms to Iraq… often in a very uncoordinated and chaotic manner”, Wilcken said.