Officials said a drone strike on Iraq’s Khor Mor gas field on Sunday, November 8, started a fire, stopped production and cut electricity to more than 70 percent of the Kurdistan Region.
According to sources cited by Reuters, the strike hit a tank storing liquefied petroleum gas at the field in Sulaimaniyah province. Smoke and flames were reported at the site. Workers were moved to shelters.
Iraq’s prime minister said initial assessments indicated no one had been hurt or killed. The Kurdistan Regional Government’s electricity ministry said the loss of gas supply reduced power generation by between 2,500 and 2,800 megawatts. Power stations that run on gas and serve Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Bazian, Chamchamal and Duhok were affected.
Authorities responded by using hydroelectric stations and other fuel sources to keep essential services running. Officials said they were giving priority to electricity for facilities such as hospitals and water-treatment plants. The regional natural resources and electricity ministries condemned the attack.
Iraqi and Kurdish authorities ordered a joint investigation. No group had claimed responsibility. The extent of the damage and when production would restart were not yet clear.