ISIS Slashes Salaries

The world’s most feared terror group has apparently fallen on hard times and needs to cut costs, forcing its fighters to wage jihad with lower wages, a watchdog group reported.

“Because of the exceptional circumstances that the Islamic State is passing through, a decision was taken to cut the salaries of the mujahedeen in half,” the killers said in a statement to their flock, according to a memo obtained by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“No one will be exempt from this decision no matter his position, but the distribution of food assistance will continue twice a month as usual,” the statement said.

ISIS militants in Syria will now only make $200 a month, while fighters abroad will get $400 a month, the statement said.

The Observatory said ISIS broke the bad business news about one week ago, and it created “a situation of resentment” among the bilked militants.

The group gave no reason for its cutbacks, merely citing some Koran passages about wealth. 

The Observatory said it could have come from overspending by mobile militants “buying food and other stuff” throughout the group’s reign of terror. 

Recent air strikes have also targeted oil structures controlled by the terrorists, which likely took a major a hit on their finances.

In its attempt to prove it is a legitimate state, ISIS provides some social welfare services and government oversight to the areas it conquers. 

The terror group reportedly taxes people living under its rule, regulates prices, produces its own currency and offers free health care. 

The extremists are estimated to have hundreds of millions of dollars at their disposal.

Documents obtained and translated by Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, a research fellow at the Middle East Forum who studies ISIS, state:

“So on account of the exceptional circumstances the Islamic State is facing, it has been decided to reduce the salaries that are paid to all mujahideen by half, and it is not allowed for anyone to be exempted from this decision, whatever his position,” reads a translation of the recently-surfaced memo, issued circa November-December 2015. 

The Islamic State does kindly inform its soldiers that, though times are lean, payments will not be interrupted: “Let it be known that work will continue to distribute provisions twice every month as usual.”