The Kurdistan Region’s Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD) on Wednesday reported that a suicide drone had again targeted the Hunt Oil facility near Baader in the Shekhan district.
Earlier Wednesday morning, a similar drone targeted the same oil facility.
Aziz Ahmed, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, said on X that so far five oil fields have been hit in recent drone attacks, including two operated by U.S. companies, resulting in the loss of nearly 200,000 barrels of oil production.
The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan strongly condemns attacks on oil production sites operated by APIKUR member companies in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region on July 15 and July 16, 2025.
— APIKUR (@apikur_oil) July 16, 2025
These attacks threatened the lives and safety of our predominantly Iraqi…
The official blamed “criminal militias on the Iraqi government payroll” for the attacks.
Ahmed also blamed U.S. partners for denying the Kurdistan Region the tools “to defend our energy and civilian infrastructure.”
According to a recent piece by Forbes journalist Paul Iddon, the recent drone attacks underscore the Kurdistan Region’s urgent need for air defense systems, which the United States has pledged to supply.
“We need them now to help us defend ourselves – we know exactly who’s behind these attacks and where they’re coming from,” Ahmed said.
The Kurdistan Region has lost nearly 200,000 barrels of oil production after a spate of drone attacks by criminal militias on the Iraqi government payroll.
— Aziz Ahmad (@azizkahmad) July 16, 2025
Five oil fields have been hit — including two operated by U.S. companies.
This production keeps the lights on and the…
The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), which represents several international oil companies in the Kurdistan Region, strongly condemned the recent attacks, and confirmed that the majority of oil companies have announced the suspension of production.
“These attacks threatened the lives and safety of our predominantly Iraqi workforce and expatriate staff of various nationalities, and also damaged facilities,” APIKUR said on X.
APIKUR called on the KRG and the Iraqi federal government to protect the facilities.
No group or organization has claimed responsibility for the attacks. However, Iran-backed militia groups are suspected to have carried out the drone strikes.
The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan strongly condemns attacks on oil production sites operated by APIKUR member companies in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region on July 15 and July 16, 2025.
— APIKUR (@apikur_oil) July 16, 2025
These attacks threatened the lives and safety of our predominantly Iraqi…
Read More: US Condemns Drone Attacks on Kurdistan’s Gas and Oil Fields
The United States on Tuesday condemned the attacks and called on the Iraqi federal government to "”exercise its authority to prevent armed actors from launching these attacks against sites within its own territory.”
The KRG Ministry of Interior on July 5 called on the Iraqi federal government to stop drone attacks carried out by some groups affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces.
