A drone strike targeted a gas complex in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region on Wednesday, disrupting the gas supply to power plants and causing widespread power cuts. The attack on the Emirati-owned Khor Mor gas field facility occurred at 11:30 pm local time, cutting off all gas supplies to power plants, according to the regional natural resources and electricity authorities.
The Khor Mor gas field, located between the cities of Kirkuk and Sulaimaniyah, is a crucial source of energy for the Kurdistan region, supplying most of its power. The attack resulted in the loss of 2,600 megawatts of electricity, disrupting 80 percent of the region’s power grid, said Omed Ahmed, the regional electricity authority spokesperson.
AFP correspondents in Kurdistan reported power cuts across the region, including in the city of Sulaimaniyah. A local security source said the attack targeted gas storage tanks, causing a major explosion and large fire. However, Iraq’s Joint Operations Command stated that the attack, which set fire to a major storage tank, did not cause any casualties.
The authorities are coordinating with the United Arab Emirates company Dana Gas to investigate the attack and restore operations. The attack is seen as an attempt to hinder security and economic stability in a country that has recently regained a sense of stability after years of conflict.
The Khor Mor complex has been targeted several times in recent years, including a drone attack in April 2024 that killed four Yemeni workers. The Kurdistan region has also seen a spate of unclaimed drone attacks, mostly against oilfields, earlier this year. The latest attack has raised concerns about the region’s energy security and the potential for further disruptions.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack, which is the latest in a series of unclaimed Katyusha rocket and drone attacks targeting the Khor Mor complex. Iraq has frequently suffered such attacks, and the government has struggled to maintain security and stability in the face of ongoing conflicts. The investigation into the attack is ongoing, and the authorities are working to restore power supplies to the affected areas.
