U.S. Condemns Drone Attacks on Kurdistan Region Oil Fields, Urges Iraqi Government to Act
The U.S. urged the Iraqi government to exercise its authority “to prevent armed actors from launching these attacks against sites within its own territory," adding: "We urge the Government of Iraq to investigate who is behind these attacks and hold them accountable.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The United States on Tuesday strongly condemned the recent drone strikes targeting oil infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, calling the attacks “unacceptable” and urging the Iraqi government to hold those responsible accountable.
In a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the U.S. Consulate General in Erbil, Washington said it “condemns the recent drone attacks throughout Iraq, including the July 14 and July 15 drone attacks on critical infrastructure at the Khormala and Sarsang oil fields in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.”
“These attacks are unacceptable, undermine Iraq’s sovereignty, and hurt Iraq’s efforts to attract foreign investment,” the statement added. The U.S. urged the Iraqi government to exercise its authority “to prevent armed actors from launching these attacks against sites within its own territory, including locations where Iraqi and international companies have invested in Iraq’s future.”
The condemnation follows two confirmed drone strikes targeting key oil sites in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
On Tuesday morning, HKN Energy Ltd. reported an explosion at its production facility in the Sarang field, part of the larger Sarsang block in Duhok Province. Though all personnel were safely evacuated and no injuries reported, the site was set ablaze, forcing a suspension of operations while emergency crews worked to contain the fire.
Later that day, the Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) confirmed that the explosion was the result of a drone attack. The Ministry also revealed that another drone strike had occurred the night before, on July 14, targeting the Khurmala oil field in Erbil Province.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources strongly condemns and denounces these acts of terrorism against the Kurdistan Region’s vital economic infrastructure,” the MNR stated.
A Kurdistan24 correspondent on the ground in Sarang reported that the explosion bore the hallmarks of a drone strike, although, as of the publication of the initial report, no official statement had been issued by Kurdistan Region security institutions.
The strikes, which have not been claimed by any group so far, mark a worrying escalation in attacks on Kurdistan Region’s energy sector, threatening both local economic stability and international investment. The Sarsang and Khurmala fields are integral to the Kurdistan Region’s oil production and host both domestic and foreign operators.
In Tuesday’s statement, the U.S. Embassy emphasized the need for swift action: “We urge the Government of Iraq to investigate who is behind these attacks and hold them accountable.”
