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Middle East Eye
6 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Drone attacks target western oil companies in Iraq's Kurdistan
An armed drone struck an oil field in northern Iraq's Kurdistan region on Thursday, according to Kurdish forces, the second strike in two days on the Norwegian-run site. Smoke billowed throughout the morning from the strike on the facility in the Sarsang block, located in the town of Chamanke. Middle East Eye was among the news organisations granted exclusive access to the facility operated by the US company HKN Energy. Security personnel at the site cautioned reporters to keep their distance due to ongoing gas leaks following the attack. Guards at Kurdish oil fields in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq are armed with Kalashnikov rifles and PKM machine guns, locally known as BKC. Empty bullet casings were scattered on the ground, evidence of an earlier attempt to repel the drone attack on the facility. A video posted Wednesday from the Tawke oil field in Zakho, operated by Norwegian company DNO, shows guards firing machine guns in an attempt to fend off a drone. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters However the press visit to the site was cut short due to a security alert. The Kurdistan Region's Counter-Terrorism Service later said that a drone had struck an oil facility operated by DNO in Zakho, one of the locations included in the planned tour. Separately, another drone crashed in the village of Surezha, near the Erbil Gas Power Station. Oil fields targeted Since 14 July, at least six oil fields have been targeted by drone attacks, including sites operated by US companies - HKN and Hunt Oil were each hit twice - and DNO, which was also struck twice. Drone attacks have also occurred in other areas, both before and after 14 July, particularly near the US consulate in Erbil, the Erbil airport, and the 70s Peshmerga base in Sulaymaniyah. Drone attacks have increased in the Kurdistan Region since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran ended on 24 June. 'The drone attacks in Kurdish energy sites grew out of a sequence of drone attacks since 19 June on Kurdish security forces, where Iraqi militias were claiming that Kurdistan was supporting Israeli and US strikes on Iran,' Michael Knights, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, told MEE. A general view shows the Sarsang oil field in the Chamanke district near the Kurdish city of Dohuk in northern Iraq's autonomous Kurdish, 17 July 2025 (Wladimir van Wilgenburg/MEE) Kurdish officials have claimed neutrality in the war. On 13 June, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani condemned Israel's attack on Iran and spoke with the Iranian foreign minister during the conflict - a stance welcomed by Iranian state media. 'On July 14 this drone and rocket campaign on Kurdistan and Kirkuk transitioned to an attack on Kurdistan's energy. The switch happened because Iran-backed militias in Iraq's government want to push back on Kurdistan Region, and US pressure from Baghdad about salary payments and energy contracts. This is a counter-pressure campaign by Baghdad militias,' Knights said. 'We know exactly who's behind these attacks and where they're coming from' - Aziz Ahmad, deputy chief of staff, Kurdistan Regional Government These attacks are not new. According to a Washington Kurdish Institute report, Iran and Iranian-backed armed groups in Iraq launched 32 attacks on the Kurdistan Region between September 2018 and October 2023. An analyst said the attacks appear aimed at disrupting the Kurdistan Region's oil infrastructure and delaying a potential energy agreement with Baghdad. Mahmood Baban, research fellow at the Rudaw Research Center, said the attacks appear aimed at disrupting the Kurdistan Region's oil infrastructure and delaying a potential energy agreement with Baghdad. Baban added that they also demonstrate the attackers' technical capability and lack of concern for the consequences. "The oil and gas fields in the Kurdistan Region do not have adequate protection systems so far. If they did, the attacks would not have such huge economic impacts,' he said. Erbil-Baghdad negotiations Since last month, there have been several negotiations between Erbil and Baghdad to resume suspended oil exports from the Kurdistan Region. The exports were suspended after a 2023 ruling by an arbitration court in Paris that found Turkey in violation of an agreement with Iraq by allowing independent Kurdish oil exports. In May, Iraq's finance ministry suspended salary payments to Kurdish public employees, accusing Kurdish authorities of exceeding their 12.67 percent share of the federal budget and failing to deliver the agreed volume of oil to the state-owned oil company. 'Hollow victory': Iraq is not really a winner in the Turkey oil arbitration case Read More » Analysts saw the move as retaliation for two energy deals, worth $110bn, the Kurdish government signed in Washington with US firms, including HKN, without Baghdad's approval in May. A Kurdish official, speaking to MEE on condition of anonymity, blamed the Popular Mobilisation Front (PMF) 'and other militias aligned with the Iraqi government' for 'targeting Kurdistan's oil fields and economic infrastructure.' Aziz Ahmad, deputy chief of staff to Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, also blamed 'criminal militias on the Iraqi government payroll'. On 15 July, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, ordered an investigation into the drone attacks on oil facilities in the Kurdistan Region and vowed to hold those responsible to account. However, Kurdish officials have complained that the perpetrators are well known and that action has been limited. 'We know exactly who's behind these attacks and where they're coming from,' Ahmad said. Tensions escalated earlier, on 5 July, when Sudani's military spokesperson condemned a statement by the KRG interior ministry accusing PMF groups of involvement in the attacks, calling the allegations against an official security institution 'unacceptable'. 'Duty to protect' Myles B Caggins III, spokesperson for the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), which represents the majority of international oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region, called on Baghdad to stop the drone attacks. 'The government of Iraq must take immediate action to protect the commercial oil production sites in the Kurdistan Region. After three days of attacks on this critical petroleum infrastructure, we are alarmed, and we are taking appropriate precautions to protect our personnel and our facilities,' Caggins told MEE. 'Most APIKUR member companies have temporarily paused oil production operations, and each day that operations are paused, there is a great financial loss to the people of Iraq.' The United States has also strongly condemned the drone attacks on its companies. 'Over 60 percent of KRG oil production has been halted due to the strikes in the past three days' - Mehmet Alaca, analyst 'The Government of Iraq has a duty to protect its territory and all of its citizens,' US Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement on Wednesday. 'These strikes target international companies that are working with Iraq to invest in Iraq's future.' Ankara-based analyst Mehmet Alaca told Middle East Eye that Baghdad has long used hard power to undermine Erbil and curb its autonomy. 'The ongoing attacks on oil fields, even as negotiations between Erbil and Baghdad reach their final stages, are a clear indication of this. Over 60 percent of KRG oil production has been halted due to the strikes in the past three days. The attacks appear aimed at forcing Erbil into concessions,' Alaca said. 'Erbil has always been an easy target for Iran. Erbil is chosen for its retaliation against Israel. The current use of similar tactics by militia groups is a tactic learned from their patrons. 'Unable to maintain its internal political integrity and with its economic weakness deepening, the KRG will be even more vulnerable to Baghdad.' On Thursday, the Iraqi government approved a deal with the KRG to resume oil exports from the Kurdistan region and the salary payments for public employees. Barzani welcomed Baghdad's decision and called for an end to the attacks on the Kurdistan Region, including its oil infrastructure. 'We hope the federal government will assist in identifying those responsible and in taking the necessary legal measures against them,' Barzani said.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Dheer, Ishan lead NASA to victory over PKM
1 2 Nagpur: Dheer Agrawal and Ishan Gour did all the scoring as Nagpur Amateur Sports Association ( NASA ) rallied splendidly to get the better of Pawanbhoomi Krida Mandal (PKM) 32-27 in the 25th Prakash Rajurkar Memorial inter-club junior district basketball championship at the Dharampeth Krida Mandal (DKM) court in Shankar Nagar on Wednesday. In a low-scoring game, NASA cagers took time to settle into their groove and lost the first quarter 3-8. With a defensive approach, they regained the momentum in the second quarter to not only level the scores but took a two-point halftime lead. After the lemon break, PKM fought back and brought the scores at par by winning the third period 10-8. NASA cagers kept their cool in the last period and chipped in with crucial baskets to win the same 12-7 and seal the fate of PKM by five points. While Dheer fired a game-high 18 points, Ishan contributed 10. In a lop-sided contest, SHivaji Nagar Gymkhana (SNG) kick started with a facile 48-11 win over hosts DKM-B. In the girls section, Nutan Bharat Yuwak Sangh drubbed PBG 53-27. RESULTS: BOYS: NASA (Dheer Agrawal 18, Ishan Gour 10) bt PKM (Ritvij 10) 32-27 (3-8, 9-2, 8-10, 12-7); SNG (Anirudh Mundhada 10, Guraansh Sethi 8) bt DKM-B (Arnav Thugaonkar 7) 48-11 (18-2, 14-3, 11-2, 5-4); GIRLS: NBYS (Mrunmayee Sathe 19, Nishita Bakre 16) bt PBG (Shravani Selokar 19) 53-27 (13-14, 10-4, 11-5, 19-4).
Rudaw Net
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
30 PKK fighters lay down machine guns, sniper rifles
Also in Kurdistan Historic Sulaimani cave hosts PKK disarmament Historic PKK disarmament ceremony draws in Kurdish leaders Kurdish political icon Layla Zana says Turkey must change terror law Rudaw launches major scholarship program in Erbil A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A group of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters announced on Friday that they publicly disarmed in the Kurdistan Region in direct response to the call from their jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan and as a gesture of good will during peace negotiations with Ankara. Well-informed sources told Rudaw that the group, identifying themselves as the Group for Peace and Democratic Society, 'comprised around 30 fighters who laid down weapons including AK-47s, PKM machine guns, and sniper rifles.' While laying down arms, they reaffirmed their commitment to democratic political engagement to secure Kurdish rights in Turkey. The ceremonial disarmament took place in the historic Jasana Cave, west of Sulaimani. Developing story…
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
I'm a ballroom dancer who joined Ukraine's special forces. The war took my leg, but I have no regrets signing up.
Serhii Nazarenko, a Ukrainian special forces officer, was a ballroom dancer before the war. He joined the NGU's Omega group in early 2024, training for six weeks before fighting Russian troops. Nazarenko told BI what it was like to lose his right leg to a land mine in October. This is as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Serhii Nazarenko, a 31-year-old Kyiv resident who taught ballroom dancing for 11 years before the war. He is now an officer and machine gunner of the NGU's elite Omega group. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. I was wide awake when I lost my leg. We were in Luhansk, and my squad was ordered to assault a Russian position in the treelines. All I could see was the soil flying as I toppled over. Then I remember seeing my commander frozen, shock in his eyes, as I lay on the ground. Three seconds later, he started shouting. I'd stepped on a land mine. "Apply your tourniquet on your leg," he yelled. Emotionless, I dug my tourniquet out of my vest and tied it around my right leg. Or what was left of it. By the time we retreated and I was evacuated to the hospital, I knew that almost everything below my right knee was gone. We were incredibly lucky. Everyone else in my squad was safe and with no injuries, and we returned home that day. I've been part of the Ukrainian National Guard's Omega group since early 2024. As special forces, we're deployed to assist different brigades along the front lines, conducting rescue missions, reconnaissance, and raids. As a machine gunner, my job was to provide suppressive fire and sometimes lead portions of an assault with light machine guns such as the Soviet PKM or NATO-standard M240. That was until October, when I was sent back to Kyiv, my hometown, to recover from my leg injury. I never thought I'd join the military. Before Russia invaded in 2022, I was a sales relations manager for a customer service company headquartered in Arizona. While working full-time, I also taught ballroom dancing — a craft I'd been pursuing since my mother took me for lessons when I was 12. For over 10 years, I performed onstage and trained students at a dance school in Kyiv. In 2021, I was also a choreographer for the Ukrainian version of "Dancing with the Stars." When Russia invaded my country in 2022, I joined Ukraine's National Guard. Our first mission was to defend Hostomel as Russian paratroopers tried to take the airfields, though I was at the rear because I was new. Then, we were assigned to attack the infamous Russian column of armored vehicles stuck on the road to Kyiv. After the Russians retreated, I was mostly sent to patrol areas that Ukraine had already retaken, keeping the peace in cities under our control. I felt like I could do more. I kept thinking that I hadn't done my job for my country yet, so I applied to Omega. The process to join took several weeks. I had to apply through a Google Form, participate in an interview, and take a physical test. Omega accepts members from many walks of life, but it is selective. The most important skill they looked for was my capacity to learn quickly. I had some combat experience, but I had to be proficient in various weapons beyond my standard-issue assault rifle, such as machine guns and grenade launchers. I spent about six weeks training with Omega and integrating into my unit. You can train for as long as you like, but the real combat situation is when you show your real ability to fight. Your best test is the front line. A key part of being an Omega member is being able to adapt. Each day, you're learning new information about your equipment, about weapons, about tactics, about strategy, about drones, about reconnaissance. My deployments with Omega were different from my time protecting cities in the rear. We rotated with other Omega soldiers on the front line, often fighting in close contact with the enemy, like clearing multistory apartment buildings, floor by floor, in Zaporizhzhia. War is nothing like in video games or Hollywood. It's messy. Out of all my missions, one left the deepest impact. We were sent to help the crew of an armored vehicle that came under Russian mortar fire. Even though we warned them to wait for us, they got out of their vehicle to repair it, and a mortar round struck them. One of them died, and we were forced to change our mission to focus on evacuating the wounded. We see every day how warfare is changing. Even though I'm in the special forces, not everything depends on your skill. When a drone comes to attack you, you hide. It doesn't matter who you are — the drone or mortar just hits you, and that's it. The biggest pressure in Omega is to be reliable for your teammates, so we all know we can depend on each other. When I stepped on the land mine and lost my leg, my first thought was: "I'm the bad person because I didn't do my job. Now we have to go back because of me." After October, I was given a prosthetic leg, and now I've been back at my unit for the last three weeks. So far, I'm helping out with public events and other tasks away from combat, while waiting for my sports prosthetic so that I can start training to run again and hopefully fight one day. When the war is over, we'll need to rebuild Ukraine's cultural scene. So many of our dancers and artists have died. Losing my leg will severely hurt my dancing ability, because although I have a prosthetic leg, I've lost my right foot. Still, if given a choice, I'd do it all again: Joining the National Guard in 2022 and then Omega in 2024. I know why I'm doing my job, for my family and homeland; I have a wife and a five-year-old daughter in Kyiv. For now, we can't think about dancing when our country's children are dying. But I want to return to the ballroom when the fighting is done. At least, I'll try. People will probably be able to tell that I'm wearing prosthetics, but I still want to perform. Hopefully, it will be a beautiful dance. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
30-05-2025
- Business Insider
I'm a ballroom dancer who joined Ukraine's special forces. The war took my leg, but I have no regrets signing up.
This is as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Serhii Nazarenko, a 31-year-old Kyiv resident who taught ballroom dancing for 11 years before the war. He is now an officer and machine gunner of the NGU's elite Omega group. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. I was wide awake when I lost my leg. We were in Luhansk, and my squad was ordered to assault a Russian position in the treelines. All I could see was the soil flying as I toppled over. Then I remember seeing my commander frozen, shock in his eyes, as I lay on the ground. Three seconds later, he started shouting. I'd stepped on a land mine. "Apply your tourniquet on your leg," he yelled. Emotionless, I dug my tourniquet out of my vest and tied it around my right leg. Or what was left of it. By the time we retreated and I was evacuated to the hospital, I knew that almost everything below my right knee was gone. We were incredibly lucky. Everyone else in my squad was safe and with no injuries, and we returned home that day. I've been part of the Ukrainian National Guard's Omega group since early 2024. As special forces, we're deployed to assist different brigades along the front lines, conducting rescue missions, reconnaissance, and raids. As a machine gunner, my job was to provide suppressive fire and sometimes lead portions of an assault with light machine guns such as the Soviet PKM or NATO-standard M240. That was until October, when I was sent back to Kyiv, my hometown, to recover from my leg injury. Before I fought the Russians, I danced I never thought I'd join the military. Before Russia invaded in 2022, I was a sales relations manager for a customer service company headquartered in Arizona. While working full-time, I also taught ballroom dancing — a craft I'd been pursuing since my mother took me for lessons when I was 12. For over 10 years, I performed onstage and trained students at a dance school in Kyiv. In 2021, I was also a choreographer for the Ukrainian version of "Dancing with the Stars." When Russia invaded my country in 2022, I joined Ukraine's National Guard. Our first mission was to defend Hostomel as Russian paratroopers tried to take the airfields, though I was at the rear because I was new. Then, we were assigned to attack the infamous Russian column of armored vehicles stuck on the road to Kyiv. After the Russians retreated, I was mostly sent to patrol areas that Ukraine had already retaken, keeping the peace in cities under our control. I felt like I could do more. I kept thinking that I hadn't done my job for my country yet, so I applied to Omega. The process to join took several weeks. I had to apply through a Google Form, participate in an interview, and take a physical test. Fighting in Ukraine's special forces Omega accepts members from many walks of life, but it is selective. The most important skill they looked for was my capacity to learn quickly. I had some combat experience, but I had to be proficient in various weapons beyond my standard-issue assault rifle, such as machine guns and grenade launchers. I spent about six weeks training with Omega and integrating into my unit. You can train for as long as you like, but the real combat situation is when you show your real ability to fight. Your best test is the front line. A key part of being an Omega member is being able to adapt. Each day, you're learning new information about your equipment, about weapons, about tactics, about strategy, about drones, about reconnaissance. My deployments with Omega were different from my time protecting cities in the rear. We rotated with other Omega soldiers on the front line, often fighting in close contact with the enemy, like clearing multistory apartment buildings, floor by floor, in Zaporizhzhia. War is nothing like in video games or Hollywood. It's messy. Out of all my missions, one left the deepest impact. We were sent to help the crew of an armored vehicle that came under Russian mortar fire. Even though we warned them to wait for us, they got out of their vehicle to repair it, and a mortar round struck them. One of them died, and we were forced to change our mission to focus on evacuating the wounded. We see every day how warfare is changing. Even though I'm in the special forces, not everything depends on your skill. When a drone comes to attack you, you hide. It doesn't matter who you are — the drone or mortar just hits you, and that's it. The biggest pressure in Omega is to be reliable for your teammates, so we all know we can depend on each other. When I stepped on the land mine and lost my leg, my first thought was: "I'm the bad person because I didn't do my job. Now we have to go back because of me." Returning to the war after losing a leg After October, I was given a prosthetic leg, and now I've been back at my unit for the last three weeks. So far, I'm helping out with public events and other tasks away from combat, while waiting for my sports prosthetic so that I can start training to run again and hopefully fight one day. When the war is over, we'll need to rebuild Ukraine's cultural scene. So many of our dancers and artists have died. Losing my leg will severely hurt my dancing ability, because although I have a prosthetic leg, I've lost my right foot. Still, if given a choice, I'd do it all again: Joining the National Guard in 2022 and then Omega in 2024. I know why I'm doing my job, for my family and homeland; I have a wife and a five-year-old daughter in Kyiv. For now, we can't think about dancing when our country's children are dying. But I want to return to the ballroom when the fighting is done. At least, I'll try. People will probably be able to tell that I'm wearing prosthetics, but I still want to perform. Hopefully, it will be a beautiful dance.
