ARBIL, (Iraq): A drone strike on Tuesday forced a US company to suspend operations at an oil field in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, the latest in a string of attacks targeting the region’s energy facilities.
The Kurdistan Regional Government said the Sarsang oil field in Duhok province was hit, denouncing the strike “an act of terrorism against the Kurdistan Region’s vital economic infrastructure”.
The attack followed similar drone strikes a day earlier on an airport hosting US troops and on an oil field in neighbouring Arbil province.
HKN Energy, the US firm operating the Sarsang site, said the blast occurred at about 7:00 am (0400 GMT) at one of its production facilities.
“Operations at the affected facility have been suspended until the site is secured,” it said in a statement.
A fire broke out but caused no casualties. HKN said emergency teams later contained the blaze.
In the past few weeks, Iraq — particularly the Kurdistan region — has seen a spate of unclaimed drone and rocket attacks.
Long plagued by conflict, Iraq frequently experiences such attacks, often linked to regional proxy struggles between Iran and the United States and its ally Israel.
Kurdistan’s presidency condemned attacks on the region’s infrastructure.
It urged Baghdad to find the perpetrators and take all necessary measures to prevent further incidents.
The US embassy denounced the recent drone strikes, including on “critical infrastructure” at oil fields in Kurdistan.
“These attacks are unacceptable,” the embassy said on X, urging Baghdad to investigate.
The Iraqi government “must exercise its authority to prevent armed actors from launching these attacks against sites... including locations where Iraqi and international companies have invested in Iraq’s future”, it added.
The strike at the Sarsang field came a day after other explosive-laden drone attacks were reported elsewhere in Kurdistan.
One drone was shot down near Arbil airport, while two others hit the Khurmala oil field in the same province, causing material damage.
There has so far been no claim of responsibility for those attacks, or for the one on Tuesday.
On July 3, the Kurdistan authorities said a drone was downed near Arbil airport and blamed the Hashed al-Shaabi — a coalition of pro-Iran former paramilitaries now integrated into the regular armed forces.
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