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   / Updated By Gabe Joselow 
   
   LONDON — Some weapons bought by the U.S. military in 2015 ended up in the hands of Islamic State fighters within two months, according to a report released Thursday. 
   
   The findings, by Conflict Armament Research (CAR), an independent arms-tracking organization, are based on three years of meticulous documentation of weapons recovered from ISIS on the battlefields of Iraq and Syria. 
   
   CAR used serial numbers or key markings on the weapons to trace them back to their origin and try to piece together how they were obtained by the militants. 
   
   Some of the weapons found on the front lines after ISIS was driven out also include Chinese-manufactured machine guns laced with amphetamines, drones modified in sophisticated terrorist factories and even a rifle made in Nazi Germany. 
   
   CAR found that one anti-tank missile sold to the U.S. Army made its way to ISIS in just 59 days. 
   
   “This is extremely short,” said Damien Spleeters, the group's researcher for Iraq and Syria, told NBC News during a recent field visit to Tal Afar, Iraq. “It means that there are not many intermediaries in this chain of custody.” 
   
   This anti-tank weapon was purchased from a Bulgarian manufacturer by the U.S. Army — but only weeks later it was property of ISIS. Conflict Armament Research 
   
   Under at least two different programs, the U.S. government has supplied weapons to Syrian armed groups, first to fight the Assad regime and then to assist the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against the Islamic State. Some of ISIS’ weapons are also thought to have been pilfered from military stockpiles while others were purchased illicitly. 
   
   According to CAR's report, Iraqi police recovered a Bulgarian-made missile tube — part of a system for firing a wire-guided anti-tank missile — during the battle of Ramadi on Feb. 9, 2016. 
   
   CAR documented the item and traced its origin to a Bulgarian manufacturer. The company confirmed to researchers that the weapon had been exported to the U.S. Army through an arms broker on Dec. 12, 2015. 
   
   It is not entirely clear how the weapon got from the Bulgarian plant to ISIS fighters in Iraq. 
   
   However, a Syrian opposition group called Jaysh al-Nasr posted a series of photographs on Dec. 21, 2016, showing fighters posing in a snowy landscape. A closer inspection shows that one of their anti-tank weapons bears an identical lot number and a similar serial number to the item seized in Iraq. 
   
   That suggests, the report says, that they "were part of the same supply chain." 
   
   CAR says the United States has not yet replied to a trace request for the weapon. 
   
   Kiesler Police Supply Co., which CAR says brokered the anti-tank missile's sale to the U.S. military, declined to comment. 
   
   Based on the anti-tank missile tube found in Ramadi and other examples of weapons purchased by U.S. suppliers from European manufacturers, CAR says there is evidence that many weapons obtained by various Syrian rebel groups supported by the U.S. were diverted to ISIS. 
   
   When asked to comment on U.S.-purchased arms potentially ending up in the hands of ISIS, Eric Pahon, a spokesman for the Department of Defense, said, “Any alleged misuse or diversion of U.S. support will be taken seriously and lead to the possible curtailment of support, if verified.” 
   
   Pahon added that he had not seen the CAR report. 
   
   The CIA ran a covert program for arming some rebel groups fighting Syrian regime forces until the Trump administration reportedly axed it in July. U.S. government and military officials have declined to ever confirm the existence of the CIA program on the record, though President Donald Trump tweeted about it this year. 
   
   Charles Lister, who specializes in Syrian rebel groups as a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, a Washington think tank, said Jaysh al Nasr was "one of the most significant groups" receiving support under the program. 
   
   This Mauser rifle manufactured in Germany in 1941 was recovered in Baghdad, Iraq. Conflict Armament Research 
   
   He added that CAR's proposed timeline for the diversion of the weapon makes sense, noting that the group had been battling ISIS during that time period. 
   
   Separately, the Trump administration this year began arming the SDF — a coalition of Arab and Kurdish fighters — although Turkey’s foreign minister claimed last month that the administration had ended the program, now that ISIS had been routed from most of the territory it controlled. 
   
   "Wherever possible, our advisors will monitor the use of the weapons and supplies we give the SDF ensuring use only against ISIS,” Pahon said. 
   
   Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said CAR’s work "shows the enormous risks" that come with handing weapons "to unprepared, not very well-trained armed groups, or even so-called organized militaries." 
   
   The weapons recovered from ISIS and documented in the report come from a wide range of manufacturers and sources. 
   
   Many were looted from Iraqi and Syrian government stockpiles as ISIS rampaged across both countries. By early 2015, the group controlled around 35,000 square miles of territory — an area about the size of Indiana. 
   
   But CAR says the introduction of new weapons into the Syrian conflict significantly improved the “quantity and quality of weapons available” to ISIS. 
   
   In propaganda videos, ISIS frequently showcases the U.S.-made weapons in its arsenal, much of it presumed to have been seized from Iraqi military stockpiles. 
   
   In 2015, CAR found one American-made M-16 in Kobani, Syria, with an Islamic State commander’s name inscribed on the magazine — a clear status symbol. 
   
   But in reality, American weapons make up only a minor portion of the small arms documented by CAR. Chinese and Russian arms account for more than 50 percent, with the ubiquitous AK-47 in heavy use. 
   
   CAR found most of ISIS' weapons were made before 1990, the year Iraq came under an arms embargo. 
   
   The report highlights the enormous breadth and depth of ISIS' arsenal. 
   
   Its researchers found rockets made in the former Yugoslavia as well as guns and ammunition exported from Belgium more than 30 years ago. 
   
   James Bevan, CAR's director, found a Mauser rifle manufactured in Nazi Germany in 1941 in an ISIS cache in Baghdad alongside 150 other weapons and improvised explosive devices. 
   
   Spleeters said the fact that ISIS used older weapons “shows the extent of how long such a weapon can live and go through different owners and keep shooting and keep killing." 
   
   CAR says it has documented more than 40,000 individual items during visits to Iraq and Syria, recording everything from tanks and rocket launchers, to bullets and bits of detonation cord. 
   
   But it uncovered some surprises as well. 
   
   In September, the group's researchers made the unusual discovery of 122 Chinese-made light machine guns at a former ISIS site south of Mosul. The serial numbers were mostly in sequence, indicating they were diverted from a single intended recipient. At least one pouch of amphetamines was attached to each. 
   
   CAR concluded that ISIS "had stockpiled the weapons together with individual rations of performance-enhancing drugs for issue to its fighters." ||||| A significant proportion of the guns and ammunition in "Islamic State's" (IS) cache were manufactured in the European Union, according to the study published Thursday by Conflict Armament Research (CAR). 
   
   In its 200-page investigation, the weapons tracking organization claimed that more than 30 percent of the arms used by IS extremists on battlefields in Syria and Iraq originally came from factories in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Germany. 
   
   Russia and China produced more than half of the weapons held by the terror group, the report added. 
   
   The study, Weapons of the Islamic State, is the result of three years of fieldwork carried out by CAR teams in Iraq and Syria. Between 2014 and 2017, researchers analyzed more than 40,000 items recovered from IS frontline positions, including guns, ammunition, and components used to make explosive devices. 
   
   Read more: Germany demands explanation after Kurdish arms sales reports 
   
   Watch video 04:53 Share Bulgarian Arms in the Middle East Send Facebook Google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink http://p.dw.com/p/2l7Mw Bulgarian arms in the Middle East 
   
   How do weapons reach IS? 
   
   The report pointed out that most IS weapons were looted from the Iraqi and Syrian armies. But in many cases arms purchased from eastern European states by Saudi Arabia and the United States — and then supplied to Syrian opposition forces — also ended up in the jihadi group's hands. 
   
   "These findings are a stark reminder of the contradictions inherent in supplying weapons into armed conflicts in which multiple competing and overlapping non-state armed groups operate," the report said. 
   
   Read more: Germany resumes weapons shipments to Iraqi Kurds 
   
   It detailed how Saudi Arabia and the United States had bought billions of dollars worth of weapons from eastern European nations before passing them on to Syrian militias, often breaching contractual clauses. 
   
   "Many of these transfers have violated the terms of sale and export agreed between weapon exporters — primarily EU Member States — and recipients in Saudi Arabia and the United States," the researchers said. 
   
   Read more: 'Islamic State' capable of making chemical weapons 
   
   The Soviet Union is dead, but its weapons live on Seven decades of Kalashnikov The 30-round AK 47 is arguably the most recognizable firearm in the world. The Soviet engineer Mikhail Kalashnikov (pictured above in 2002) created the automatic rifle after World War II. It quickly earned a reputation for being cheap and reliable, with various armies, guerilla groups and street gangs all using the weapon to this day. 
   
   The Soviet Union is dead, but its weapons live on Makarov goes to space The 9mm Makarov pistol entered service in 1951 as a staple sidearm for the Soviet army, police and Spetsnaz special forces. Soviet cosmonauts even took the weapon to space as a part of a special survival kit, which was provided to them in case they become stranded upon landing back on Earth. 
   
   The Soviet Union is dead, but its weapons live on MiG-29 still flying high The Mikoyan MiG-29 first entered production in the early 1980s, and was praised as a highly maneuverable and agile dogfighter. The original model has since been upstaged by both NATO fighters and its more expensive brother Sukhoi, but its variants are still deployed in combat. The Russian air force uses MiG-29s to target the so-called "Islamic State" forces in Syria. 
   
   The Soviet Union is dead, but its weapons live on Blast from the past The Red Army used Katyushas to devastating effect against German soldiers in World War II. The multiple rocket launchers were attached to army trucks, making them cheap and highly mobile. Its distinctive whine and appearance reminded the German soldiers of a church organ, prompting a nickname "Stalinorgel" or "Stalin's organ." 
   
   The Soviet Union is dead, but its weapons live on S-300 and its descendants In 2016, Russia sold its advanced aerial defense system to Iran, but kept quiet on the details. The Cold War-era version of the S-300 had a range of 150 kilometers (93 miles), and could hit targets at altitudes above 27 kilometers, with the more modern Antey 2500 system reportedly expanding the range to 400 kilometers. India and China are seeking to buy the even-more-advanced S-400 missiles. 
   
   The Soviet Union is dead, but its weapons live on Dragunov sniper rifle The Dragunov sniper rifle was first introduced to the Soviet army in 1963 and has since found its way to war theaters across the world. It was reportedly used against US soldiers in Vietnam. In 2015, the SITE Intelligence Group published photos of the "Islamic State" soldiers with Dragunov rifles. 
   
   The Soviet Union is dead, but its weapons live on T-34, a symbol of an era The Red Army owes much of its victory over Germany to the iconic T-34, which first appeared on the battlefield in 1941. The battle-tested T-34 eventually became the most widely produced tank of the war and influenced armored vehicles for decades. The Russian military still honors it by having it lead the Victory Day parade. Author: Darko Janjevic 
   
   
   
   From Europe to IS in two months 
   
   In one case, CAR said it traced an advanced anti-tank guided weapon that was manufactured in the EU, sold to the United States, and then supplied to a party in the Syrian conflict before ending up in the hands of IS forces in Iraq — all within two months of the weapon leaving the factory. 
   
   "International weapon supplies to factions in the Syrian conflict have significantly augmented the quantity and quality of weapons available to IS forces — in numbers far beyond those that would have been available to the group through battlefield capture alone," the report said. 
   
   Read more: 'Reckless' weapons transfers to Iraq fueled 'IS' atrocities: Amnesty International 
   
   According to CAR, the parties involved in these arms transfers often deliberately attempted to conceal the weapon's source by changing the packaging, and removing or painting over factory markings. The researchers added that some of their data had led to criminal proceedings, including investigations by Belgian police into supplies of parts of improvised explosive devices (IED). 
   
   Read more: German weapons firms find lucrative market in United States 
   
   IS captured a large chunk of Iraq and Syria during a lightning offensive in 2014. They've since lost most of that territory, but CAR warned the militants still pose a threat because they've acquired the ability to manufacture their own highly sophisticated weapons. 
   
   "Combined with global reach, demonstrated logistical and organizational capacity, and willing recruits around the world, these factors translate into an exportable capacity to conduct insurgency and terrorism well beyond the region," the report concluded. ||||| We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, analyse site traffic, and personalize content. Read about how we use cookies by clicking "Find out more." If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. Find out more.
target: – Weapons supplied by the US and Saudi governments to Syrian rebel groups landed in the hands of ISIS fighters, in some cases in a matter of just weeks, according to a Conflict Armament Research study. The organization's study of more than 40,000 items retrieved from ISIS positions in Iraq and Syria, including guns and ammunition, found that many weapons the US government bought from European suppliers were diverted to ISIS, including an anti-tank missile component that was found with ISIS fighters in Iraq just 59 days after it left a Bulgarian factory and was sold to the US, NBC News reports. CAR says around a third of ISIS' weapons were made in the EU. More than half came from China and Russia. "International weapon supplies to factions in the Syrian conflict have significantly augmented the quantity and quality of weapons available to IS forces—in numbers far beyond those that would have been available to the group through battlefield capture alone," CAR said in its report. The report also detailed unusual finds, including a German rifle from 1941 found with fighters in Baghdad, and a cache of 122 Chinese-made machine guns found near Mosul, each with a pouch of amphetamines attached. CAR warns that even though ISIS has now lost most of its territory, it now has the ability to manufacture its own weapons and remains a worldwide threat, Deutsche Welle reports.