Bomb-laden drones crash near Erbil following wave of attacks on energy sites
Oil companies condemn attacks on Kurdistan Region fields
Drone targets Duhok oil field operated by US firm
Top Foxtrot member arrested in Erbil: Swedish media
KRG approves 'understanding' with Baghdad on budget issues
A+ A-
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two bomb-laden drones crashed in northern and southwestern Erbil on Thursday morning, causing no casualties or material damage, according to the Kurdistan Region's counterterrorism forces.
In a statement posted to Facebook, the Erbil-based Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD), also known as Kurdistan CT, reported that 'at 10:50 am [local time], a bomb-laden drone crashed' near the village of Surezha in Shamamk subdistrict southwest of Erbil. The statement confirmed that 'no human casualties or material damage' were caused.
The CTD reported a similar incident earlier the same day in Erbil's northern Bahrka subdistrict near Jizhnikani village.
These incidents follow a string of drone strikes that have targeted key oil and energy infrastructure across the Kurdistan Region since Monday.
On Wednesday, the CTD reported drone attacks on two different oil fields in the northern Duhok province on Wednesday.
'Between 6:00 and 6:15 am, the DNO oil field in Peshkhabur...was targeted by two explosive-laden drones," the Kurdish counterterrorism forces said, adding that 'a third drone targeted the DNO oil field in Tawke at 7:00 am,' causing material damage but no injuries.
Norwegian energy company DNO confirmed in a statement that operations at both fields have been 'temporarily suspended' due to the attacks.
Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP), which operates the Sheikhan oil field in southern Duhok, also announced it had temporarily shut down operations on Wednesday as a precautionary measure.
A day earlier, a drone attack targeted the Sarsang oil field northwest of Duhok city, operated by the US-based HKN Energy, also prompting a suspension of operations at the facility 'until it is secured and a full evaluation is completed.'
In a Wednesday statement on X, Aziz Ahmad, Deputy Chief of Staff to Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, said the Region has lost nearly 200,000 barrels of oil production due to a 'spate of drone attacks by criminal militias on the Iraqi government payroll.'
He added that five oil fields, including two operated by US companies, have been targeted so far.
The Kurdistan Region's Presidency, cabinet and natural resources ministry strongly condemned the drone attacks, describing them as attempts to cripple the Region's vital oil infrastructure. They called on Iraq's federal government in Baghdad to take urgent action to prevent further attacks and hold those responsible accountable.
Responding to a question from Rudaw during a Wednesday press briefing, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce censured 'these kinds of attacks' as 'unacceptable, adding, 'We've expressed our dismay and our problem with them.'
Iraq's presidency, premiership, and parliament also condemned the attacks on Tuesday.
Drone strikes in the Kurdistan Region have increased since the outbreak of a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran that began on June 13 and ended with a US-brokered ceasefire.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the latest attacks, the Kurdistan Region's interior ministry in early July accused the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) of involvement - a charge dismissed by Baghdad as 'unacceptable.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rudaw Net
7 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Drones targeting Kurdistan Region were launched from Kirkuk: KRG official
Also in Kurdistan Unfinished Stories: PKK disarmament PM Barzani, US chargé d'affaires discuss finances, oil exports Drone attack kills one in Penjwen PUK pushes for new KRG cabinet before Iraq's November vote A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Explosive-laden drones that targeted the Kurdistan Region last week were launched from Kirkuk province, a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) official said on Saturday. 'The suicide drones that targeted oil fields in the Kurdistan Region last week flew from Dibis, Kirkuk,' Aziz Ahmad, deputy chief of staff to Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, said in a post on X. In the month of July, there have been at least 18 drone attacks on locations in the Kurdistan Region. In the past week, the attacks primarily targeted oil fields. Ahmad said on Wednesday that the Kurdistan Region has lost nearly 200,000 barrels of oil production due to the 'spate of drone attacks by criminal militias on the Iraqi government payroll.' The KRG has blamed the attacks on Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a charge Baghdad has denied. On Monday, the Iraqi parliament will convene to discuss the 'terrorist attacks with explosive drones on infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region,' according to the agenda. The Kurdistan Region's Presidency, Council of Ministers, and Ministry of Natural Resources have all strongly condemned the attacks, describing them as attempts to cripple the Region's vital oil infrastructure. They called on the federal government to hold the perpetrators to account. No group has claimed responsibility. There have been no new attacks since Erbil and Baghdad reached a new agreement on finances and oil exports on Thursday.
Rudaw Net
8 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Unfinished Stories: PKK disarmament
Also in Kurdistan Drones targeting Kurdistan Region were launched from Kirkuk: KRG official PM Barzani, US chargé d'affaires discuss finances, oil exports Drone attack kills one in Penjwen PUK pushes for new KRG cabinet before Iraq's November vote A+ A- In this episode of Unfinished Stories, Rudaw's Hevidar Ahmed follows the disarmament of a first group of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters in Sulaimani province. The historic event took place on July 11. He speaks with the families of PKK fighters who watched the disarmament ceremony with the hopes of seeing their sons and daughters among the group that burned their weapons at Jasana Cave in front of hundreds of people, including journalists from Turkey's state media and local authorities in Sulaimani. Rudaw was not allowed to attend the event. Several PKK fighters, who are based on Mount Gara in Duhok province, spoke to Rudaw. Some were hopeful about a peace deal with Ankara, but others said they prefer to stay in the mountains. 'If the leadership tells us to lay them down, we'll lay them down. If the conditions and demands are accepted, we'll lay them down,' said a PKK fighter. Rudaw also visited the house of Keziban Sekmen, a PKK fighter who burned her weapon on July 11. Her mother said they thought she was dead until they saw her on TV. 'She left us 13 years ago. At that time I didn't know where she was or where she went or what happened to her. She was a child. After a few years we learned she had joined the PKK. When we saw the guerrillas come and lay down their weapons, I was very upset when I saw them lay down their weapons, because that weapon belongs to everyone. I did not know that my daughter was alive until I saw her lay down her weapon on TV. We thought she was not alive,' Zahide Sekmen said.
Rudaw Net
8 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Clashes continue in Suwayda, death toll passes 900: Watchdog
Also in Syria Syrian president confirms truce as state forces enter Suwayda US announces Israel-Syria ceasefire following deadly clashes in Suwayda Syria to deploy 'specialized force' to end Suwayda clashes Damascus denies forces re-entered Druze area A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Clashes have continued between Druze fighters and tribal groups in Syria's southern province of Suwayda, pushing the death toll to over 900 despite an internationally sponsored ceasefire announced earlier in the day, a watchdog stated on Saturday. There are 'renewed clashes in the western neighbourhoods of Al-Suwaidaa city between tribesmen and local gunmen from the Druze community following the breach of the international-sponsored ceasefire agreement which was reached today,' stated the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). 'The number of fatalities in armed clashes, exchange of bombardment, extrajudicial executions and Israeli airstrikes in different Syrian provinces… has increased to 940,' the monitor stated. The violence between armed Druze groups and Bedouin tribes began on Sunday. On Saturday morning, Washington's Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack announced that the United States had brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Syria. Israel has come out in support of the Druze and hit several targets, including Syrian state forces and an airstrike on the building of the defence ministry in Damascus. Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed the agreement that includes the deployment of state security forces to Suwayda. Government forces had pulled out of the province on Wednesday. Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that controls the northeast of the country (known to Kurds as Rojava), praised the efforts that led to a ceasefire, describing them as vital steps 'in support of civil peace.' Elham Ahmed, co-chair of Rojava's Foreign Relations Office, in a post on X on Saturday, expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Suwayda, where civilians, she said, 'face severe hardship due to siege and deteriorating conditions.' She said the Rojava administration is ready to open a humanitarian corridor to Suwayda. Opening humanitarian corridors is part of the ceasefire agreement, Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa said on Saturday. The ceasefire plan, according to the minister, consists of three phases: the initial deployment of internal security forces to de-escalate clashes and secure key routes, followed by the opening of humanitarian corridors between Daraa and Suwayda to allow the evacuation of civilians and wounded, and finally, the gradual reactivation of state institutions and full restoration of law and order. 'This is the path Suwayda needs after months of tension and exhaustion,' Mustafa said.
