Oil is not the only way that the Islamic State (IS) now funds its terrorist operation, Pentagon spokesperson Rear Admiral John Kirby said during a press briefing on Feb.3, RIA Novosti reported.
"We know that oil revenue is no longer the lead source of their [the Islamic State's] income in dollars. So, they are changing," Kirby said.
Kirby admitted that he was unsure was no longer the top IS revenue source, but that donations and the group's "black market program" were likely new ways the terrorist organizations was relying on funding.
While the US-led international coalition of over 60 continues conducted 14 airstrikes against IS in Syria and Iraq on Monday and Tuesday, in recent days the group has also released video footage of them executing hostages from Jordan and Japan.
The IS Sunni extremist group began fighting the Syrian government in 2012, later expanded to Iraq. The militant group controls large portions of land in both countries and declared a caliphate on the areas it controls. The Taliban, which increased its activities in 2014, also intends to establish an Islamic state in Afghanistan.