ARBIL: A drone onslaught disrupted operations astatine a US-operated lipid tract successful Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, marking different onslaught connected the area’s captious vigor infrastructure.
The Kurdistan Regional Government condemned the onslaught connected the Sarsang lipid tract successful Duhok state arsenic an enactment of terrorism.
HKN Energy, the US steadfast managing the site, confirmed the onslaught occurred astir 7:00 americium section time, damaging a accumulation facility.
“Operations astatine the affected installation person been suspended until the tract is secured,“ the institution stated. Emergency teams aboriginal contained a occurrence that broke out, with nary casualties reported.
The onslaught follows a bid of caller attacks successful Kurdistan, including a drone incidental adjacent Erbil airport, which hosts US troops. Another onslaught targeted the Khurmala lipid field, causing worldly damage. No radical has claimed responsibility, but Kurdish authorities antecedently blamed pro-Iran factions for akin incidents.
Tensions betwixt Baghdad and Erbil person escalated implicit lipid and state contracts, with Iraq’s national authorities opposing Kurdistan’s autarkic deals with overseas firms. Hours aft the drone strike, Iraq’s lipid ministry announced a preliminary statement with HKN Energy to make the Hamrin lipid field.
Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdel Ghani expressed Baghdad’s willingness to collaborate with US companies, contempt ongoing disputes. Approximately 2,500 US troops stay successful Iraq arsenic portion of the anti-ISIS coalition. - AFP
