British Ambassador Condemns Deadly Drone Attack on Khor Mor Gas Field in Iraq

The British Ambassador to Iraq, Stephen Hitchen, has strongly denounced the recent drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which killed four expatriate workers from Yemen and injured several others. The attack, which occurred on Friday evening, caused significant damage to the gas field and disrupted gas supplies to power plants in the region, resulting in a reduction of approximately 2,500 megawatts of electricity.

The Khor Mor gas field is operated by the Pearl Consortium, which includes United Arab Emirates energy firm Dana Gas and its affiliate, Crescent Petroleum. According to local officials, the attack targeted a fuel storage tank at the complex around 6:45 pm local time. "There would be power shortages due to the incident," stated Kurdistan regional government spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani, who called on the federal government in Baghdad to find the perpetrators of this "terrorist act".

Ambassador Hitchen urged accountability for those responsible for the attack, emphasizing the need to bring the perpetrators to justice. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the global coalition against ISIS also condemned the attack, describing it as an unacceptable attempt to achieve political and economic goals through violence and a threat to Iraq's stability and prosperity.

Why this matters: The attack on the Khor Mor gas field highlights the ongoing security challenges faced by Iraq's critical infrastructure and the potential impact on the country's energy supply. The incident also underscores the need for increased measures to protect vital facilities and hold those responsible for such attacks accountable.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani has ordered the formation of an investigatory committee to look into the incident. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) condemned the attack as a "terrorist" incident and demanded that the federal government take action to prevent similar assaults in the future. President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, called on the federal government to fulfill its duty to prevent attacks on vital facilities in the region and to conduct a serious investigation into the incident. "Such criminal acts threaten the country's security and stability," stated Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, who expressed condolences for the victims and wished a speedy recovery for the wounded.

Key Takeaways

• Drone attack on Khor Mor gas field in Iraq killed 4, disrupted power supply.
• Attack targeted fuel storage tank, operated by UAE's Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum.
• British ambassador, UN, and global coalition condemned the "terrorist act" and called for accountability.
• Iraqi PM ordered investigation, KRG and president condemned the attack as threat to stability.
• Attack highlights security challenges for Iraq's critical infrastructure and energy supply.