The REAL power struggle in Syria: How Assad and ISIS work together to provide energy to the country... with terrified staff forced to work in Islamist-held electricity plants
- ISIS and Assad regime have 'mafia-style' deal over gas fields, it is claimed
- State employees being assigned to work in gas plants held by the militants
- Workers report seeing colleagues beaten and even killed in front of them
- Syrian energy bosses insist there is 'no coordination with terrorist groups'
- See our full coverage on the conflict in Syria at www.dailymail.co.uk/syria
ISIS and President Assad's regime are working together to provide energy to Syria with terrified staff forced to work in Islamist-held electricity plants, it has been claimed.
Syrian engineers have reported seeing their colleagues beaten and even killed after being assigned to ISIS-controlled gas plants that produce most of the country's power.
A number of the facilities have essentially become 'joint ventures' between Assad and the militants - despite the two sides being locked in a civil war, it has been reported.
Scroll down for video
ISIS and the President Assad's Syrian regime are working together to provide energy to the country it has been claimed (file picture)
Both ISIS - which controls eight of the nation's power plants - and Assad's regime rely on the gas that provides 90 per cent of the country's electricity
According to the Financial Times, one state employee - giving the false name of Ahmed to preserve his anonymity - told how he 'didn't have a choice' over his year-long assignment at the ISIS-held Tuweinan gas plant.
The 25-year-old told the newspaper how workers were often beaten and that on one occasion he watched a colleague being executed - but that he had no other work opportunities.
He said: 'The worse part is knowing that once you're there you belong to no one. To both the regime and to ISIS, you become untrustworthy.'
Both ISIS - which controls eight of the nation's power plants - and Assad's regime rely on the gas that provides 90 per cent of the country's electricity.
Government-run firms have staff trained to run the facilities and supporters of the regime say the deals are necessary to maintain the country's infrastructure. Energy from the Tuweinan plant is reportedly divided up between ISIS and the regime.
One energy company boss likened the situation to 1920s Chicago with 'mafia-style negotiations' between the two sides.
A number of the facilities have essentially become 'joint ventures' between Assad and the militants - despite the two sides being locked in a civil war, it has been reported
Syrian engineers have reported seeing their colleagues beaten and even killed after being assigned to work at the ISIS-controlled gas plants that produce most of the country's power (file picture)
According to the Financial Times, Syria's Ministry of Oil and Natural Resources said in a statement: 'There is no coordination with the terrorist groups regarding this matter.'
But the statement reportedly acknowledges that some engineers worked under ISIS 'for the sake of preserving the security and safety of these facilities.'
The newspaper reports that ISIS enforcers patrol the Tuweinan plant and any workers found to be breaking strict Islamic rule is given 75 lashes.
There are reports of some employees being threatened with guns and knives and that the popular operations director was executed in front of his staff having been accused of 'being a loyalist of the regime'.
Yesterday it was revealed how Islamic State was still making more than £320million a year from oil despite the U.S.-led bombing campaign that was meant to break up the insurgency.
Figures from oil workers in Syria and Iraq along with Western intelligence estimates suggest up to 40,000 barrels are being produced every day in ISIS-held territory.
- Koko the gorilla falls in love with a litter of tiny kittens
- Caught on film: Teen killed after flashing his lights at cop
- 'Go to hell': Love Ranch brothel owner slams Kardashians
- 'Possessed' woman convulses and screams in disturbing video
- GRAPHIC: Could this be the biggest blister of all time?
- Dramatic 911 call after Lamar Odom found unconscious
- Incredible moment passers-by rescue new born from bag
- Terrifying moment sashimi fish jumps from dinner plate
- Woman launches scathing racist attack in heated row on bus
- Boy cowers in embarrassment as dad lets rip at post office
- Spooky video captures 'black-eyed ghost child' in forest
- Kris & Kim leave Vegas hospital after visiting Lamar Odom
- EXCLUSIVE: Democratic National Committeewoman says her party...
- BREAKING NEWS: Lamar comes out of coma, speaks to Khloe and...
- Investigation into Hillary's email server focuses on...
- EXCLUSIVE: Lamar poured out his heart about split from Khloe...
- 'Officer, what are you doing?': Cop shoots dead unarmed...
- Pictured: The shocking 'text neck' X-rays that show how...
- ABC News' Dr. Jamie Zimmerman drowns in Hawaii after losing...
- Khloe Kardashian hits back at 'publicity-seeking' boss of...
- Kim, Kris, Kourtney and Kylie arrive back in LA by private...
- 'They're my babies': Watch the extraordinary moment broody...
- 'I think he had a death wish': Father of Lamar Odom's best...
- Woman whose family feared she was possessed by the devil...