Drone Attack Kills Four at Khor Mor Gas Field

On April 26, four Yemeni workers were killed in a drone attack carried out by unknown perpetrators on the Khor Mor field, a gas field operated by UAE-based Dana Gas in Sulaymaniy

News
Drone Attack Kills Four at Khor Mor Gas Field
Wladimir van Wilgenburg
April 27, 2024

On April 26, four Yemeni workers were killed in a drone attack carried out by unknown perpetrators on the Khor Mor field, a gas field operated by UAE-based Dana Gas in Sulaymaniyah’s Chamchamal district. 

The attack came one week after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani concluded a one-week official visit to the United States.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said that gas supplies to power plants have been suspended due to the attack, resulting in a reduction of approximately 2,500 megawatts in electricity output. 

KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in a statement said that he strongly condemned “tonight’s terror attack on Khor Mor. My thoughts and condolences are with the four civilians killed, and I wish the wounded a swift recovery.”

He added that he instructed the KRG Ministry of Health to provide all necessary support.

He urged Baghdad to “credibly investigate, hold the perpetrators accountable, and provide lasting assurances to our people. According to the initial information the attacks came from a nearby region within Iraq.”

In addition, he said the KRG expects “swift action from Baghdad to not allow these terrorists to menace us at will. It must control the lawless groups that harm us all.”

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani reiterated that the attacks on Khor Mor “endanger the peace and stability of the country.”

He called on the Iraqi government “to prevent these attacks and find the perpetrators.”

KRG Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani called on Baghdad to launch an investigation into the incident.

Production from the Khor Mor gas processing plant and the 180-kilometer pipeline supplies gas-to-power stations in Chamchamal, Bazian, and Erbil, generating over 2,000 MW of electricity. 

On July 11, 2023, the Iraqi cabinet approved the purchase of gas from the field to reduce Iraq’s dependency on Iranian gas.

“Attacks on energy hubs that power millions of homes in the Kurdistan Region and Iraqi provinces are indefensible.” Prime Minister Barzani underlined. “These attacks also sabotage efforts by Erbil and Baghdad to develop the energy sector. They happen with disturbing frequency and amount to war crimes.” 

A 20-year gas sales agreement was signed in 2019 between Dana Gas and the KRG to enable production and sales of an additional 250 million standard cubic feet per day. It was scheduled to deliver the first gas in April 2024 and involved a total investment of $806 million by the United States.

U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller also strongly condemned the attack on April 26.

“We offer condolences to the families of those who were killed, and we wish for the quick recovery of those who were injured. Attacks like this are an affront to Iraq’s sovereignty,” he said.  

“We encourage the authorities to investigate and bring to justice those who are responsible. The United States will continue to work with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government in support of Iraqi security, stability, and sovereignty.” 

The U.S.-led coalition against ISIS also condemned the attack, arguing that such attacks “severely threaten Iraq’s stability and the prosperity of its people.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Sudani ordered an investigation into the attack on the Khor Mor gas field, which has suffered rocket attacks in the past.

In response to the event, the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq released a statement condemning the attack.

“We welcome investigation to identify and bring the attackers to justice.”

“This is an unacceptable attempt to achieve political and economic goals through violence. Those responsible must be held accountable,” the UK Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hitchen, said in a post in Arabic on X. “Our condolences to the families of the victims and a speedy recovery to the injured.”

The attack was most likely carried out by outlawed militias.

“The drone attack on Khor Mor gas field is a message primarily targeting U.S. energy companies that seek to invest in Iraq. The Shi’a militia groups that are on the Iraqi government payroll obviously want to tell U.S. companies that ‘if you come to Iraq, this is what you get,’” Director of the Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace at American University Yerevan Saeed told Kurdistan Chronicle.

“The attack carries the hallmark of previous perpetrators who have orchestrated similar assaults on the gas field in the past,” he added.

“The attack is part of the systematic targeting of the region’s economy and confirms once again that the policy of peacemaking with the militia forces has no benefit,” former Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Hoshyar Zebari wrote on X. He also called for a united Kurdish stance. 


X
HOME NEWS POLITICS ECONOMY CULTURE OPINION MAGAZINE ABOUT
Copyright ©2023 KurdistanChronicle.com. All rights reserved