ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The suspension of operations at Kurdistan Region’s strategic Khor Mor gas field is driven primarily by “fear” of drone attacks launched by armed groups inside Iraq rather than the broader conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel, Kurdistan Region Presidency spokesperson Dilshad Shahab said on Monday.
“The halting of Khor Mor operations and other oil production companies is more out of fear of drones from inside Iraq and forces outside the law inside Iraq than out of fear of war being directed from Iran, America, or Israel,” Shahab told Rudaw in an interview.
The Khor Mor gas field is one of the Kurdistan Region’s most important energy facilities, supplying gas used to generate a large portion of the Region’s electricity. Its shutdown has significantly impacted the power supply.
The operator of the field, the UAE-based Dana Gas, halted gas exports to power generation stations in the Region following the escalation of conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel last week. At the time, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said the suspension would reduce electricity supply by between 2,500 and 3,000 megawatts. Round-the-clock power availability has dropped to five to eight hours a day.
On Thursday, the company said the temporary suspension of production was carried out “in coordination” with the KRG “as a precautionary measure due to the ongoing regional security situation.”
Since the outbreak of the conflict last week, drones and other projectiles have repeatedly targeted sites in the Kurdistan Region, including areas around Erbil and Sulaimani. Several Iraq-based pro-Iran militia groups have claimed responsibility for drone and rocket attacks on US interests in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, as well as other targets they say are linked to Washington.
Shahab criticized the Iraqi federal government for failing to curb the attacks, saying the situation raises serious questions about the authority of the state.