BAGHDAD, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- A drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region caused a complete halt to its operations, according to official statements and a security source.
The Kurdistan region's natural resources ministry and electricity ministry issued a joint statement confirming that the attack occurred at 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday local time (2030 GMT), resulting in a complete halt to gas supplies to power plants.
Teams from both ministries are currently coordinating with the operator, the United Arab Emirates-based energy company Dana Gas, to monitor the situation and mitigate the impact, the statement added.
A Kurdish security source, on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that at least two unknown drones struck a storage depot at the Khor Mor field in Sulaymaniyah province late Wednesday, sparking a fire and immediately halting all operations at the site.
The Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) issued a statement on Thursday, confirming that the strike resulted in the burning of one of the main storage tanks at the vital field without casualties.
The JOC stressed that the attack constitutes a "dangerous terrorist act" aimed at "hindering and delaying efforts seeking to consolidate security and economic stability."
The JOC warned that the action poses a "direct threat to the interests of Iraqis" and would negatively impact the electricity system, particularly in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah provinces, promising firm legal action against all those involved in the "cowardly act."
The Khor Mor gas field is instrumental in providing natural gas for electricity generation across the region. Repeated security incidents involving drone attacks in the area have raised concerns about the protection of this critical infrastructure and the stability of the country's energy supplies. ■
