Armed groups continue to target Iraq’s electricity infrastructure: Ministry

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Unknown armed groups have attacked electricity infrastructure in Kirkuk Province for the second time in one week, leading to power shortages in parts of Kirkuk, Nineveh, and Salahuddin.

In a statement on Friday, the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity said the 400 KV electricity transmission lines between Kirkuk and Diyala were subjected to “a terrorist act” in Ausaj valley near the Enjana checkpoint in Kirkuk.

It added that the sabotage led to an entire power shortage in Mosul and Kirkuk—except power supplies coming from the Kurdistan Region—and in parts of Salahuddin Province.

According to the statement, this is the eighth attack on the Kirkuk-Diyala transmission line in two months.

On July 31, the transmission line between Kirkuk and Erbil was damaged by a bomb attack in Kirkuk’s Dibis area, leading to a complete power shortage in Nineveh Province.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the Ministry said they foiled another attack on a transmission line between Nasriya and Wasit provinces in southern Iraq.

The Ministry of Electricity previously announced that it had exhausted its capacity and potential and now finds it difficult to restore services as its storages are running out of equipment to renovate the destroyed power stations and transmission lines, the statement revealed.

The Ministry called on security forces to track criminals who try to hurt the Iraqi people by targeting the electricity infrastructure.

In mid-July, the Ministry of Electricity revealed that Iran cut power supplies to Iraq due to unpaid bills. The Iranian move has exacerbated the country’s energy crisis creating widespread anger and demonstrations across several provinces in southern Iraq.

Since July 8, people have taken to the streets demanding the government provides them with better services, one of those demands being better electricity.

According to the former Iraqi Parliament’s Energy Committee, the country has spent 40 billion USD on the energy sector since 2003, yet the government has not been able to provide 24-hour electricity to its people.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany