Iraq Security Chief Reveals New Details on Khor Mor Attack
He described attacks against the Kurdistan Region as a major ongoing security challenge, noting that their scale had doubled and that they included drone strikes and long-range missile attacks launched from outside Iraq's borders.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Bassem al-Badri, head of Iraq's National Security Service, has disclosed previously unrevealed information about the recent attack on the Khor Mor gas field.
Speaking on Wednesday, during a panel discussion at Chatham House in London, al-Badri addressed security challenges and attacks targeting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
He described attacks against the Kurdistan Region as a major ongoing security challenge, noting that their scale had doubled and that they included drone strikes and long-range missile attacks launched from outside Iraq's borders.
Al-Badri said some attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region could be linked to the repercussions and interests of the wider regional conflict. However, he indicated that the Khor Mor attack was a separate matter.
"As everyone knows, there is currently a political crisis within the Kurdistan Region between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)," he said.
Responding to a question from the audience about the possible perpetrators, al-Badri said the attack might have been carried out by a Kurdish party.
"I can tell you quite easily that the attack may have been carried out by a Kurdish party. But we cannot say whether it was an armed group or an external party, so we must handle this matter very carefully," he stated.
The Iraqi security chief added that the government had information and indications concerning the latest attack on the gas field.
"I personally have information about the method, manner, and direction of the attack. However, it would not be appropriate to discuss these details. We will leave that for the appropriate time," al-Badri said.
He also stressed Iraq's capabilities and experience in combating terrorism, citing its campaign against ISIS and other terrorist organizations.
The Khor Mor gas field was targeted late on Sunday, in the Qadir Karam sub-district of Chamchamal district.
The facility is the Kurdistan Region's largest source of natural gas for electricity generation, supplying power plants in Erbil, Chamchamal, and Bazian, as well as contributing significantly to domestic gas consumption.
The attack damaged a key section of the facility, completely disrupting gas supplies to power plants. Consequently, electricity generation dropped from approximately 3,700 megawatts to around 1,000 megawatts, leaving residents across the Kurdistan Region with only five to six hours of electricity per day.
Following the incident, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered the formation of a special committee to investigate the attack.
Sabah Numan, spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of Iraq's Armed Forces, told Kurdistan24 that the committee had begun its investigation and would coordinate with security officials in the Kurdistan Region.
The committee is expected to conduct a detailed investigation before submitting its findings to the relevant authorities.