logo
Iraq's ruling coalition condemns drone attacks on Kurdistan Region

Iraq's ruling coalition condemns drone attacks on Kurdistan Region

Rudaw Net8 hours ago
Also in Iraq
Iraqi parliament fails to discuss drone attacks on Kurdistan Region
Iraq's top court rejects lawsuits against Kurdish parliament
PM Sudani welcomes new commander of anti-ISIS coalition
Iraq cannot control militias attacking Kurdistan Region, says MP
A+ A-
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's ruling Coordination Framework coalition on Monday condemned the recent drone attacks on Kurdistan Region's oil infrastructure, calling on Baghdad to take a firm stance in this regard.
'The Coordination Framework condemned the ongoing bombardment targeting oil companies in the Kurdistan Region, as it represents a direct threat to national wealth, public interests, a blow to the investment environment, and a blatant violation of stability. It calls on the government to take a firm stance to uncover who is behind these attacks and prevent their recurrence,' read a statement from the coalition following a periodic meeting.
Since early July, nearly 20 drone attacks have hit the Kurdistan Region, mostly targeting oil fields and causing significant financial losses. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks and there have been no new attacks since Erbil and Baghdad reached a new agreement on finances and oil exports on Thursday.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has directly accused Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) of being behind the drone attacks - a claim denied by Baghdad.
The Iraqi government has condemned the attacks but has taken no steps to stop them.
The federal parliament was set to discuss the drone attacks on the Region on Monday but failed after almost all Kurdish lawmakers boycotted the session for unknown reasons.
The Kurdistan Region's Presidency, Council of Ministers, and Ministry of Natural Resources have all strongly condemned the attacks, describing them as attempts to cripple the Region's vital oil infrastructure. They called on the federal government to hold the perpetrators to account. The international community has also condemned the attacks.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Coordination Framework denounces attacking oil companies in Kurdistan
Coordination Framework denounces attacking oil companies in Kurdistan

Shafaq News

time5 hours ago

  • Shafaq News

Coordination Framework denounces attacking oil companies in Kurdistan

Shafaq News – Baghdad On Monday, the Coordination Framework, a political alliance of ruling Shiite parties in Iraq, condemned the continued attacks targeting oil companies in the Kurdistan Region. In a statement, the bloc described the strikes as 'a blatant assault on stability and a blow to the investment environment,' urging the federal government to take a firm stance to identify the source of the attacks and prevent their recurrence. The statement also expressed concern over the growing number of fires in recent months, calling the pattern 'suspicious,' and voiced sorrow over the latest fire incident in Wasit Province.

Iraqi Minister sounds alarm on "serious challenges"
Iraqi Minister sounds alarm on "serious challenges"

Shafaq News

time7 hours ago

  • Shafaq News

Iraqi Minister sounds alarm on "serious challenges"

Shafaq News – New York Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, Mohammed Ali Tamim, said on Monday that the country continues to face major challenges, particularly those related to climate change and the worsening water shortage. Representing Iraq at the opening session of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development—held by the United Nations in New York from July 21 to 24 to assess global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—Tamim stressed that the water crisis remains one of Iraq's most urgent challenges. He expressed gratitude for the UN's continued support to developing countries and acknowledged the meaningful cooperation of international partners in addressing this critical issue. Earlier, Iraq's Green Observatory estimated the country's annual groundwater reserves at 3.4 billion cubic meters, with sustainable yields potentially exceeding 5 billion cubic meters per year. Official Iraqi data indicate the country could face a 20% decline in surface water availability by 2035, driven by upstream flow reductions and the escalating impacts of climate change.

Iraq faces oil export reckoning as Turkiye ends historic pipeline deal
Iraq faces oil export reckoning as Turkiye ends historic pipeline deal

Shafaq News

time7 hours ago

  • Shafaq News

Iraq faces oil export reckoning as Turkiye ends historic pipeline deal

Shafaq News – Baghdad Turkiye's decision to terminate a decades-old oil pipeline agreement with Iraq has exposed deep structural vulnerabilities in Baghdad's export strategy, according to Iraqi economic expert Ahmed Abdul Rabeh. Speaking to Shafaq News on Monday, Abdul Rabeh said Ankara's move to end the 1973 pipeline accord—announced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and published in the Official Gazette—signals a strategic realignment in Turkish energy policy and reflects Ankara's broader resistance to an international arbitration ruling in Iraq's favor. 'The decision not to resume oil pumping through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan line highlights Turkiye's shift away from previous international obligations,' Abdul Rabeh stated. 'It also reveals Iraq's overdependence on southern export routes, which now handle over 90% of total crude shipments.' The suspension of oil exports via the pipeline dates back to March 2023, when an international arbitration tribunal in Paris ordered Turkiye to pay Iraq $1.4B in damages. The ruling stemmed from a long-standing legal dispute triggered by the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) unilateral oil exports through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, which Baghdad said violated constitutional authorities. Since the ruling, oil exports from both the KRG and the Kirkuk fields have come to a complete halt, costing Iraq an estimated $20B in lost revenues, according to KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. Abdul Rabeh emphasized that Ankara is using the impending expiry of the bilateral oil agreement—set for July 2026—as a legal buffer, allowing it to avoid immediate compliance with the arbitration ruling while preparing for a renegotiation on more favorable terms. 'This crisis has exposed Iraq's lack of redundancy in export infrastructure,' Abdul Rabeh warned. 'By relying almost exclusively on Basra's southern terminals, Iraq is increasingly vulnerable to logistical bottlenecks, political instability, or sabotage.' He called for an urgent national strategy to diversify Iraq's energy exports. Proposed alternatives include accelerating development of the Iraq–Jordan oil pipeline, reviving talks on access to Egypt's SUMED pipeline, and expanding capacity at southern ports. Abdul Rabeh also stressed the importance of internal political coordination, particularly between Baghdad and Erbil, to create a unified approach to oil governance. 'Activating agreements with SOMO and aligning Baghdad-KRG export strategies are essential steps,' he said. He added that Iraq should use its proposed 'Development Road' infrastructure project—a flagship economic corridor connecting Basra to Turkiye and Europe—as leverage in talks with Ankara. 'Linking energy cooperation with broader trade incentives may strengthen Iraq's position.' End of a 50-Year Partnership The 1973 Turkiye-Iraq pipeline agreement underpinned more than five decades of bilateral energy cooperation, allowing Iraq to ship millions of barrels of crude from Kirkuk to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. The deal, updated several times—in 1976, 1981, 1986, and 2011—was extended by a pivotal 2010 protocol, which included international arbitration clauses under French law. In 2014, Baghdad filed for arbitration after KRG began exporting oil independently through the pipeline. The tribunal's 2023 decision, which favored Iraq, marked a turning point in the legal and commercial aspects of the agreement. On July 17, Iraq's Council of Ministers approved a new internal agreement with the KRG to restart crude flows. The deal set a flat transportation fee of $16 per barrel and included production cost subsidies, but Turkiye has so far declined to reopen the pipeline. Abdul Rabeh concluded that while Turkiye's move poses immediate risks to Iraq's export capacity, it also presents an opportunity. 'If Baghdad seizes this moment to modernize its energy infrastructure and unify its domestic front, the country could emerge with a stronger, more resilient export system.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store