Iraqi presidency condemns drone strikes on northern oil fields, demands accountability

Al Bawaba

15-07-2025

ALBAWABA- The Iraqi Presidency has strongly condemned recent drone attacks targeting key oil installations in northern Iraq, including the Khormala and Sarsank oil fields, and called for swift investigations to identify and hold those responsible. Also Read Explosion at Sarsang oil field in Iraqi Kurdistan halts production
The condemnation follows two separate drone strikes: one on the Sarsank oil field in the Amadiya district of Dohuk governorate, which led to a suspension of production, and another on the strategic Khormala oil field in the Makhmour district of Erbil governorate.
According to Iraqi security sources and the Kurdistan Region's Counter-Terrorism Service, the Khormala site was struck by two unidentified drones.
While no casualties have been reported, the attacks have raised serious concerns over the security of Iraq's vital energy infrastructure.
The Khormala field, which produces approximately 100,000 barrels of oil per day, is regarded as an extension of the Kirkuk oil field and lies outside the officially recognized boundaries of the Kurdistan Region as of March 19, 2003.
The Iraqi Presidency emphasized that the site remains part of the Kirkuk governorate and does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
In its official statement, the Presidency criticized the ongoing control and operation of the Khormala field by the Kar Kar Group, alleging that oil from the site is being exported without Baghdad's consent, labeling such activities as "illegal exploitation."
The Presidency urged immediate action to 'expose and prosecute those behind the attacks' and to protect national resources from external threats and internal mismanagement.
The drone strikes come amid ongoing tensions between Baghdad and Erbil over the management and distribution of oil revenues, particularly in contested areas outside the Kurdistan Region's formal boundaries.