Kurdistan
Emblem of the US embassy in Baghdad, with footage of the latest Khor Mor drone attack in the background. Graphic: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The US Embassy in Baghdad on Thursday offered support to protect the Kurdistan Region’s energy infrastructure after a drone attack forced production at the key Khor Mor gas field to halt.
“We are prepared to lend support to efforts to protect this critical infrastructure, and we will continue to underscore the importance of Iraq asserting its sovereignty in the face of attempts to undermine it, and ensuring all weapons, especially drones, missiles, and rockets, are brought under state control,” the embassy said in a strongly worded Facebook statement.
The embassy added that it “joins the Kurdistan Regional Government and other Iraqi partners in calling for immediate action by the Government of Iraq to hold accountable the perpetrators of this terrorist attack, which is the latest in a series of attempts by malign actors to destabilize Iraq and target American investments in the Kurdistan Region.”
The US offer came after Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani urged Washington and the international community to provide “the defensive equipment necessary to protect our civilian infrastructure.”
The drone strike hit a storage tank at the Khor Mor gas field, triggering a fire that burned for several hours before being contained. The attack has drawn widespread condemnation and has been labeled a terrorist act, with Kurdish officials urging Baghdad to investigate and prosecute those responsible. No group has claimed responsibility.
Mark Savaya, the newly appointed US Special Envoy to Baghdad, blamed armed groups “operating illegally and driven by hostile foreign agendas” for the strike.
Hoshyar Zebari, a senior member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), welcomed Savaya’s remarks, noting that the US has invested nearly half a billion dollars in the Khor Mor field “to support energy security with American and Emirati companies.”
Located in the Chamchamal district, the Khor Mor gas field is operated by Pearl Petroleum, a consortium that includes UAE-based Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum. The site has been repeatedly targeted by Katyusha rockets and drones in recent years, attacks Kurdish authorities attribute to Iran-backed militias.
Dana Gas said Thursday that production “has been shut down to extinguish the fire and conduct a situation assessment,” adding that it is coordinating with local authorities and will provide further updates “in due course.”
Baghdad accused of failing to act against armed groups
The Kurdistan Region’s interior ministry on Thursday accused the Iraqi federal government of failing to take action against armed groups responsible for previous attacks on the Region’s energy infrastructure, despite Erbil providing evidence identifying those involved.
It said Baghdad’s inaction has emboldened militia groups to continue targeting energy facilities, noting that all recent drone attacks originated from areas under federal government control.
In a detailed statement, the ministry said that between June 15 and July 25, the Region’s oil fields were hit by “unmanned drone attacks, causing significant material and financial damage.” Following these incidents, a joint Erbil-Baghdad committee involving key intelligence agencies was formed and eventually identified the perpetrators.
“More than two months after the report was submitted, the federal government has not taken any legal or security measures against the criminals,” the statement read. “The final report, currently with the federal prime minister, clearly identifies those responsible for the terrorist attacks that inflicted serious and extensive damage on the Kurdistan Region’s energy infrastructure. The report also includes numerous recommendations… none of which have been implemented.”
The ministry reiterated its call on Baghdad to “fulfill its constitutional, legal, and security responsibilities and take swift measures against the criminals and those directing them.”
“The Kurdistan Region stresses that failing to take a stance against those involved constitutes a violation of constitutional responsibility, and such negligence only encourages these groups to continue their actions,” the ministry added.
The Kurdistan Region’s oil and gas facilities have been targeted dozens of times in recent years. Kurdish officials consistently attribute these attacks to “terrorist” groups - a reference to militia factions that, despite being formally integrated into the Iraqi security apparatus, continue to operate outside the federal government’s control.
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