ERBIL, Iraq (AP) — A drone attack forced a complete shutdown of gas supplies at a natural gas field in northern Iraq, triggering widespread electricity outages across northern regions and prompting urgent condemnation from Iraqi, Kurdish, and U.S. officials.
The strike late on Wednesday, the second in a week, caused a fire at one of the field’s main facilities but resulted in no casualties, according to Iraqi authorities.
Kormor, in Kurdistan region, is one of northern Iraq’s most productive natural gas fields, and its output is used to fuel power plants.
Iraq’s Joint Operations Command said the attack occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, when an explosive device struck one of the main facilities at the field in Sulaymaniyah province, sparking a fire.
In a statement, the Joint Operations Command described the assault as a “cowardly” and “serious terrorist act” aimed at undermining Iraq’s economic stability and disrupting essential services. Authorities warned the attack could worsen electricity shortages in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah provinces, where the field supplies a significant share of natural gas used for power generation.
“This act constitutes a direct threat to the interests of Iraqis,” the statement said, adding that those responsible would be pursued and face “decisive legal measures.”
In a joint statement, the Kurdistan regional ministries of natural resources and electricity announced that gas supplies to electricity stations were “completely halted” at 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday as a result of the drone attack. The ministries said teams, along with personnel from Dana Gas, one of the companies that operates the field, were on site assessing the damage and working to stabilize the situation.
Erbil and Sulaymaniyah have had no electricity since the attacks. Generator operators remain on boycott to protest the government’s move earlier this year to supply power around the clock that has deprived them of revenues.
On Sunday, local forces intercepted a drone targeting the field, though no group has claimed responsibility for either incident.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani condemned the attack, calling it an attack on Iraq’s economic infrastructure and a threat to national security. “It is the duty and responsibility of the Iraqi federal government and the relevant security agencies to act swiftly and decisively to hold the perpetrators accountable and prevent such incidents from recurring,” he said.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani convened an emergency meeting in Baghdad with the ministers of defense and interior early Thursday, ordering the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the attack and recommend measures to prevent future incidents.
The United States also issued sharp criticism. Mark Savaya, U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Iraq, said in a post on X that “armed groups operating illegally and driven by hostile foreign agendas” were behind the assault. He urged the Iraqi government to swiftly identify and prosecute those responsible.
“Let it be unequivocal: there is no place for such armed groups in a fully sovereign Iraq,” he wrote. “Every illegal armed group and supporter will be tracked, confronted, and held accountable.”
Savaya said the U.S. supports “a strong Kurdistan within a united and stable Iraq” and encouraged Baghdad and Erbil to deepen security cooperation to protect vital energy infrastructure.
In a post on X, Kurdistan Regional Prime Minister Masrour Barzani urged the federal government to ensure suspects are neither released on bail nor allowed to repeat “these crimes.” He also appealed to the U.S. and international partners to provide additional defensive equipment to protect civilian infrastructure.
“The usual terrorists or whoever may be behind tonight’s attacks cannot be allowed to repeat these crimes,” he wrote.
No injuries were reported in either attack this week, and authorities have not announced any arrests.
By STELLA MARTANY
Associated Press
