Latest news with #Kurdishregion
The National
6 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
US confirms change to military mission in Iraq
The US confirmed to The National a change in the status of its military mission in Iraq, which it said was transitioning to a bilateral security partnership. The move comes ahead of next month's scheduled withdrawal from certain areas in the country. Iraq and the US announced an agreement in September last year, under which the mission of the US-led coalition against ISIS will end by next month, with the remainder of American forces in he country to depart by the end of 2026. Reports suggested US troops had begun withdrawing from the Ain Al Assad base in the west of the country and from Baghdad International Airport to Erbil in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. A US embassy representative told The National this marked a "transition of the coalition's military mission in Iraq to a more traditional bilateral security partnership". "This is not the end of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, which will continue civilian-led efforts globally," the representative said, stopping short of explicitly confirming whether some troops had been moved. Hussein Allawi, adviser to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, told The National on Monday that the government remained committed to ending the US-led mission and shifting to a bilateral security partnership – without either side detailing what this would entail. 'The government's vision is to find a sustainable relationship that covers all fields, among them the security field,' he said. He noted that this approach has been pursued through 'a set of methodological foundations', beginning with the Higher Military Committee that discussed the mission of the International Coalition and the ending of the missions in September 2025 and 2026. According to the plan, coalition activities at its headquarters and at Ain Al Assad airbase will conclude in September 2025 as part of the first phase. The second and final phase is scheduled for completion in September 2026. He stressed that the process reflects 'the Iraqi government's commitment to implementing the agreement on ending the missions of the International Coalition and transferring the relations towards bilateral relations', describing it as a return to 'normal bilateral relations to the stage before the fall of Mosul on June 10, 2014'. Iraq seeks to maintain co-operation with the US, UK, Spain, Turkey, Nato and the European Union 'under the path of strategic agreements between the Republic of Iraq and the friendly countries of Iraq", he added. In particular, Baghdad aims to keep ties with Washington under the umbrella of the existing Strategic Framework Agreement. Dispute over US presence The US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS was formed in 2014 to degrade and defeat the group. Its military operations began with air strikes and later expanded to include advising and training Iraqi security forces. About 2,500 are still based in Iraq, where they work with Iraqi and Kurdish partners against ISIS cells. Iraq is also a launch pad for US-led anti-ISIS operations in Syria, where the group continues to operate but no longer controls territory. Sabah Al Numan, the prime minister's military spokesman, hailed the development as an "achievement and a testament to Iraq's ability to face terrorism and maintain security and stability without external assistance". US presence in the country has been a major point of contention in domestic Iraqi politics, sparking opposition from Tehran as well as Iran-aligned groups and politicians. The agreement for a staggered withdrawal was the outcome of increasing pressure by these factions on the Iraqi government to expel US forces from the country. American forces have also come under repeated attacks by Iran-backed forces since the US killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Qassem Suleimani in an air strike in 2020. Ain Al Assad, one of the largest military installations housing US troops, was targeted by Iranian missiles in response, causing more than 100 troops to suffer traumatic brain injuries. There was also a surge in the number of attacks after the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023, with groups operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claiming rocket and drone attacks on US assets. The change in the mission's status comes days after a security agreement between Iran and Iraq, signed during Iran's senior security chief Ali Larijani's visit to the country, sparked US backlash.
The National
21-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Turkey to end oil pipeline deal with Iraqi Kurdistan
Turkey is putting an end to an agreement that allows for the export of crude oil from Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region through its territory. Having come into effect in 1975, the pipeline deal will expire on July 27, 2026, a ruling published in the Turkey's official gazette said on Monday. All protocols or memorandums relating to the deal will also stop. In March 2023, Turkey halted the flow of oil produced in the region after an arbitration court said Ankara had breached the agreement when it allowed Iraqi Kurdish authorities to pump crude without Baghdad's consent. The two sides started talks to resolve the issue but oil flow has yet to resume through the pipeline that connects the region to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. Turkey has not specified why it plans to halt operations but Reuters cited a senior official as saying the country is keen to negotiate a new pipeline deal with Iraq. "A new and vibrant phase for the Iraq-Turkey pipeline will benefit both countries and the region as a whole," the official said, without giving details of what Ankara expects. A new deal will also help regional projects such as the Development Road – a planned trade route involving Turkey and Iraq, the official noted. Iraq is the second largest producer of oil in the Opec group after Saudi Arabia.
The Independent
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Drone attacks on oil fields in Iraq's Kurdish region shut down facilities
Drones targeted oil fields in Iraq's semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region Wednesday, the latest in a series of attacks in recent days that have put several oil facilities out of commission. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which have exacerbated tensions between the central government in Baghdad and Kurdish authorities. The Kurdish region's anti-terrorism department said two drones attacked an oil field in the district of Zakho, causing damage but no injuries. DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas company operating the field, said its operations were temporarily suspended following three explosions involving a small storage tank at Tawke and surface processing equipment at Peshkabir. It said there were no injuries, and a damage assessment was underway. Hours later, the anti-terrorism department said the Baadre oil field, located in the Sheikhan district of Dohuk province, was targeted by a drone strike. There were no injuries. Videos showed a plume of smoke rising over barren hills. The attacks came a day after another oil field in Dohuk province operated by a U.S. company was set ablaze, also after being struck by a drone. The Kurdish region's Ministry of Natural Resources said the attacks were meant "to disrupt the economy of the Kurdistan region and threaten the safety of civilian employees of the energy sector,' and called for federal authorities to intervene to stop them. Iraqi oil industry expert Hamza al-Jawahiri said the targeting of oil fields in the Kurdish region would not affect global oil prices and that oil production in southern Iraq is sufficient to compensate for any resulting shortage. The fields in northern Iraq produce around 500,000 barrels per day. Al-Jawahiri said the primary losers would be the companies operating the fields, which are working under partnership contracts. Earlier this month, the Kurdish regional government accused the Popular Mobilization Forces — a coalition of Iran-allied militias that are officially under the control of the Iraqi military — of carrying out drone attacks. The Iraqi army said the accusation was 'issued in the absence of evidence' and said it could 'provide hostile parties with justifications to undermine Iraq's stability.' Iran-backed armed groups have periodically attacked U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria. During last month's Israel-Iran war, some of them threatened to target U.S. interests and bases in the region if Washington got involved.
Bloomberg
16-07-2025
- Bloomberg
Drones Hit DNO Oil Fields in North Iraq in Latest Attack Spree
Two oil fields operated by DNO ASA in northern Iraq were attacked by drones on Wednesday, a third such hit on energy installations in the region this week. Two drones attacked the Peshkabir field in the Kurdish region around 6am local time, Kurdistan Counter Terrorism said in a statement on its Facebook page. Another drone hit the Tawke project about an hour later, it said. There was some damage but no people were injured, the organization said.
Washington Post
15-07-2025
- Washington Post
Iraqi oil field on fire after drone strike during attacks in Kurdish region
BAGHDAD — An oil field in Iraq 's Dohuk province was set ablaze Tuesday after being struck by a drone. It is the latest in a series of similar attacks launched recently against oil facilities in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region . No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
