“Savvy” ISIS Will Overcome Cash Crunch & Come Back

ISIS is rapidly losing territory across Syria and Iraq and, as a result, is suffering significant financial setbacks. Yet ISIS remains driven by its goal of establishing a physical caliphate. To acquire the necessary funds to maintain its bloody campaign, ISIS may turn to more traditional methods of terrorist financing, such as external donations, to fill its coffers. The Cipher Brief’s Bennett Seftel spoke with Leslie Ireland, Cipher Brief expert and former assistant secretary of the treasury for intelligence and analysis, to discuss the challenging task of detecting ISIS’ intricate financial system and as well as the continuous threat posed by the group.

The Cipher Brief: With ISIS losing significant territory in Syria and Iraq, where will the group look to procure finances?