Turkish intelligence has monitored phone calls between the Assad regime in Syria and the Islamic State (ISIS), confirming cooperation between the two parties in an attempt to overcome a shortage of energy resources, according to security sources.
According to the sources, the Assad regime sent a technical team to Deir-ez-Zor province last week in order to repair a gas pipeline in the region.
The monitored call revealed that Syrian army commanders issued orders to its units in Sarda and al-Jafra, near the regime-held Deir-ez-Zor Military Airport, to allow the passage of its team as it entered ISIS-held areas in order to make repairs, the sources added.
Remarkably, the call also mentioned the team was not of Syrian origin, raising questions about the nationality of the technical team.
According to the sources, one Syrian officer can be heard remarking: "If we shot them (the technical team), electricity will be cut off from all Syrian regions," indicating the potential hold ISIS has over the regime's access to crucial recources.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
