Drone attack halts Iraq gasfield power output, KRG says
A drone strike at Iraq’s Khor Mor gasfield set off a fire and cut electricity across much of the Kurdish region, officials say.
At a glance
- A drone attack on Iraq’s Khor Mor gasfield caused a fire and cut power, officials say.
- The strike suspended gas supply to power plants in several Kurdish cities, officials said.
- Officials reported no casualties and a joint investigation was ordered.
On a Sunday night, a drone attack struck the Khor Mor gasfield in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region and caused a fire while cutting power, according to Iraqi and Kurdish officials.
The strike hit the gasfield in the Sulaimaniyah governorate and suspended gas supply to power plants in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Bazian, Chamchamal and Duhok, officials said. Omid Ahmed, a spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Electricity, said the attack knocked between 2,500 and 2,800 megawatts of electricity generation off the grid, according to the Iraqi News Agency.
Al Jazeera reported that its fact-checking agency, Sanad, verified footage of smoke and flames from the area. Peter Smith, reporting from Baghdad, cited security sources as saying an explosive-laden drone struck the Khor Mor gas storage facility and reduced the energy grid’s capacity by 70 to 80 percent.
The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Electricity said it would provide electricity to critical facilities, such as hospitals and water treatment plants, by using hydroelectric power stations and other plants that run on alternative fuel.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said there were no casualties from the attack based on an initial assessment, the Iraqi News Agency reported. He also directed that a joint investigative committee be formed with relevant authorities in the Kurdish region.
It was not clear who was responsible for the attack or whether it was related to the United States and Israel’s war on Iran.
The attack came amid heightened regional tensions. A drone strike hit the same facility last year, and no group claimed responsibility then.
Source: Al Jazeera
Questions and answers
- What happened at the Khor Mor gasfield?
- A drone attack caused a fire and cut power to the Kurdish region, according to Iraqi and Kurdish officials.
- Did anyone get hurt in the attack?
- Iraqi officials said there were no casualties based on an initial assessment.
- Who is investigating the drone attack?
- Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi directed a joint investigative committee with relevant Kurdish authorities.
