New images released today, shows a trade sale in the Islamic State's province of Al Raqqa in #Syria well stocked with brand new and pre owned vehicles. There's Kia's, Hyundai's and obviously Toyota's on display at a rather well arranged showroom. The structure of the show room clearly indicates that previously experienced employees are behind the new car store in Al Raqqa. Interesting to note that the Islamic State actually have a mixed economic system in their territories. This is proven to the fact that they operate as any other economic state would. The government, or in their case the caliphate, and private companies both have control of owning, making, selling, and exchanging goods. This results in a growth on thier economic system. It is well proven that they actually do have a strong economic system, it is un clear where exactly they received funds initially to establish this system, but currently it is clear they receive economic boosts daily from their oil reserves. A private owned car store is a classic example of this boosts, but it is unclear where and how did they received these brand new vehicles? Earlier this month US counter terror officials investigated the same question. They posed the question to the world’s second largest auto maker, Toyota, to help them determine how the Islamic State has managed to acquire such large numbers of Toyota vehicles. As seen in the Islamic State's videos, they show rows of hundreds and hundreds of 4 wheel pick up trucks, all of which are in excellent condition. Toyota said it has a strict policy not to sell its goods to potential purchasers who may use or modify them for paramilitary or terrorist activities. Toyota does not know how the Islamic State obtained the vehicles and they are following the US Treasury Department procedures in effort to prevent these Western goods from reaching terror groups in the middle East. However they announce it is impossible to track the vehicles that have been stolen, or have been bought and re sold by middle-men. Vehicles, new or pre owned, are costly in territories such as that of the Islamic State, residents are probably preparing money to purchase a vehicle. We wish them all the best of the luck.
