Syrian rebel groups have seized control of most of Syria’s oil & gas resources, and are using the proceeds to fund their fight against the Syrian government and each other, according to the New York Times.
Control of the oil & gas fields has boosted the fortunes of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and the Nusra Front, both of which are offshoots of Al Qaeda. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is even selling fuel to the Assad government.
The Nusra Front and other groups are also providing fuel to the government, in exchange for electricity and relief from airstrikes, according to The New York Times.
Syria was once an important supplier of oil to Europe, and attracted international oil companies like Royal Dutch Shell and Suncor to develop its fields. Declining even before the anti-Assad uprising began, the oil industry has taken a beating since, with production down to no more than 80,000 barrels a day at the end of 2013 from about 400,000 barrels a day in 2011. Violence has damaged pipelines and other infrastructure, aggravating energy shortages and leaving the country heavily dependent on imports from its allies.
