ERBIL, Iraq (AP) – A drone attack has compelled a complete shutdown of gas supplies at the Kormor natural gas field in northern Iraq, leading to widespread electricity outages across the region. The strike, which occurred late on Wednesday, is the second such incident within a week and has drawn urgent condemnation from Iraqi, Kurdish, and U.S. officials.
The explosive device struck one of the main facilities at the Kormor field, located in Sulaymaniyah province, around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday. While the attack ignited a fire at the site, Iraqi authorities reported that there were no casualties resulting from the incident.
The Kormor field is considered one of the most productive natural gas sources in northern Iraq and serves as a crucial resource for fueling power plants in the area. As a direct consequence of the attack, Iraq’s Joint Operations Command emphasized that this act represents a "cowardly" and "serious terrorist act" aimed at undermining the economic stability of Iraq and disrupting vital services. Officials warned that such attacks could exacerbate existing electricity shortages in both Erbil and Sulaymaniyah provinces, where the gas field supplies a significant proportion of the natural gas used for energy generation.
The statement from the Joint Operations Command stressed that the act poses a direct threat to the interests of Iraqis, and vowed that those responsible would be sought out and face "decisive legal measures." Following the attack, the Kurdistan regional ministries of natural resources and electricity confirmed that gas supplies to electricity stations were entirely halted as of 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Recovery teams, alongside personnel from Dana Gas, the company operating the field, have begun assessing the damage and attempting to stabilize the situation.
Since the attacks, both Erbil and Sulaymaniyah have experienced complete power outages. Local generator operators remain on strike, protesting against the government’s prior decision to supply electricity continuously, which has adversely affected their revenue streams. Notably, previous attempts to target the Kormor field had been intercepted by local forces just days prior, although no group has claimed responsibility for either drone attack this week.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani condemned the drone strike, characterizing it as an attack on Iraq’s economic infrastructure that poses a serious threat to national security. He stressed the urgency for the Iraqi federal government and relevant security agencies to act decisively to hold the perpetrators accountable and prevent future attacks.
In response to the incident, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani convened an emergency meeting with the ministers of defense and interior on Thursday in Baghdad. He ordered the formation of a high-level committee tasked with investigating the strike and recommending measures to safeguard against such occurrences in the future.
Mark Savaya, the U.S. special envoy to Iraq, also expressed strong criticism regarding the drone attack. In a post on X, he asserted that "armed groups operating illegally and driven by hostile foreign agendas" were responsible and urged the Iraqi government to identify and prosecute those involved swiftly. He emphasized that there is "no place" for such armed groups in a fully sovereign Iraq and reiterated the commitment to track and confront any illegal armed factions and their supporters.
Savaya also expressed U.S. support for a strong Kurdistan within a united Iraq, advocating for enhanced security cooperation between Baghdad and Erbil to protect crucial energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Kurdistan Regional Prime Minister Masrour Barzani reiterated calls for the federal government to ensure that suspects involved in the attacks are not released on bail and to solicit additional defensive equipment from the U.S. and international partners to safeguard civilian infrastructure.
Overall, no injuries have been reported related to either drone strike this week, and authorities have yet to disclose any arrests connected to the incidents.
