A drone strike disrupted operations at the Sarsang oil field in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region on Monday, marking another targeted attack on the region’s energy infrastructure.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) denounced the strike, calling it an act of terrorism. The field, located in Duhok province, is operated by U.S.-based HKN Energy.
In a statement, HKN confirmed that the strike occurred at approximately 7:00 a.m. local time and damaged one of its production facilities.
“Operations at the affected facility have been suspended until the site is secured,” the company said, adding that emergency response teams contained a fire that broke out following the impact. No injuries were reported.
The incident is the latest in a series of drone-related attacks in northern Iraq. In recent weeks, a drone incident occurred near Erbil International Airport, which hosts U.S. and coalition forces, and another strike caused material damage to the Khurmala oil field.
While no group has claimed responsibility, Kurdish officials have previously accused Iran-aligned militias of being behind similar operations.
The KRG, which maintains its own oil and gas contracts independent of Baghdad, has faced increasing pressure from the federal government in recent years. Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad have grown over control of natural resources, with Iraq’s federal government opposing unilateral Kurdish deals with foreign firms.
Iraq’s Oil Ministry announced a preliminary agreement with HKN Energy just hours after the drone strike. The agreement involves developing the Hamrin oil field, located in a separate region under federal control.
Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdel Ghani emphasized Baghdad’s intent to continue working with American firms, despite legal and political disagreements over Kurdish energy policy.
“Iraq welcomes cooperation with U.S. companies to boost energy development,” he said.
Roughly 2,500 U.S. troops remain stationed in Iraq as part of the ongoing coalition mission against ISIS, primarily advising and assisting Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
The rise in drone attacks, many suspected to be conducted by Iran-backed groups, highlights the growing challenge of securing against UAS threats facing foreign firms and infrastructure in the region.
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