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Bomb-laden drones crash near Erbil following wave of attacks on energy sites
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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 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.'
