Smoke rises over Syrian town of Kobani after an airstrike
Smoke rises over Syrian town of Kobani after an airstrike, as seen from the Mursitpinar border crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province, October 18, 2014. Reuters

The number of donations to ISIS has significantly dropped following the brutal executions of the group that rocked the world. The U.S. chief of intelligence said there have been changes in the Middle East.

Director of national intelligence James Clapper referred to the perceptions concerning ISIS in the region. He believes the change in perception will not happen for everyone overnight but the public executions and beheadings have a “galvanizing effect” in the Middle East.

According to the director, ISIS’ actions have resulted in a decline in donations. However, he added that private donations were only less than one percent of ISIS’ income. Most of the group’s revenues were from oil smuggling, extortion and robberies in areas under militant control.

Al-Arabiya reports that Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-led states have long been accused of allowing donations to reach the extremists in Syria but the countries in question have denied the claims. In 2014, Vice President Joe Biden had to issue an apology to Turkey, Saudi Arabia and UAE for suggesting that their governments had sent money and weapons to Sunni militants who are opposed to the Assad regime.

Clapper said ISIS was highly skilled at spreading propaganda. He believes a “counter-narrative” is needed to defeat the militants. The U.S. spy chief has become concerned about ISIS recruiting fighters from among the refugees from the conflict in Syria. Clapper added that the refugees have become a source of new recruits for the militant group.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military is evaluating its bombs and missiles to ensure it has enough supply to continue aerial assaults against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. After six months of launching airstrikes, a senior Pentagon official has confirmed that the U.S. and its allies are checking the size of their stockpiles.

The review would ensure that the weapons supplies are adequate in meeting the current and future needs of the coalition against ISIS. More than 2,600 airstrikes have been launched on ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria.

Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall told Defense One that the U.S. is looking at stockpiles to ensure adequate supply. The U.S. military has weapons in several locations around the world to meet a range of combat missions. The exact number of weapons has remained classified.

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