Nearly 30 Iraqi electricity towers destroyed in one week, most recently in Karbala

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraq's Ministry of Electricity on Thursday announced that power transmission towers and lines were damaged in an act of sabotage by unknown factions who detonated explosive devices that downed two power transmission towers in southern Karbala province, adding to several more that have been destroyed in recent days further north.

"The terrorist attack that took place this morning at four o'clock included the targeting of two towers," read a ministry statement, "which led to the fall of the aforementioned towers and the power transmission lines being out of service."

It described "exceptional emergency circumstances" that it said had become "a war against the ministry with all the attacks,” for which normal Iraqis "will continue to pay the high price, especially amid the situation of the coronavirus pandemic and the heat of the scorching summer season."

It then called on "authorities to take the utmost measures and actions to resolve the situation."

On Tuesday, the electricity ministry announced that seven transmission towers in the disputed province of Kirkuk had collapsed after an explosion that it called a deliberate act of sabotage.

Read More: Explosion on Kirkuk power line takes down 7 electricity towers

Recently electricity towers were targeted in Nineveh, Kirkuk, and Salahuddin provinces, with 27 towers taken down in one week.

Editing by John J. Catherine