BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Updated:

The Khor Mor Oil and Gas Field in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq was on alert overnight due to drone threats. Sirens sounded at the sight, and conflicting reports said air defenses were activated.

The field has been targeted in the past by kamikaze drones.  It is usually believed that Iranian-backed militias carry out these drone attacks.

This incident comes after Iraq held elections this month. Sunni and Shi’ite parties are seeking to unify as political horse-trading takes place ahead of government formation. The Kurdish parties are also seeking unity, though divisions persist among them.

Khor Mor is in Sulaymaniyah Province, where the Kurdish Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) is strongest.

Sirens blared during the night due to two drone threats, Rudaw, a Kurdish channel, reported.

A drone aircraft is put on display at an exhibition at an unidentified location in Yemen in this undated handout photo released by the Houthi Media Office, July 9, 2019.
A drone aircraft is put on display at an exhibition at an unidentified location in Yemen in this undated handout photo released by the Houthi Media Office, July 9, 2019. (credit: HOUTHI MEDIA OFFICE/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)


“Drones were spotted in the sky over Khor Mor twice today [late Sunday]... Therefore, sirens were activated, but so far, no attack has occurred,” a security source told Rudaw early on Monday.


A worker told this media network that “we were inside the gas field loading fuel; only the warning siren sounded. Otherwise, we did not hear any explosions or anything else.”


The report noted that “located in Chamchamal district, the Khor Mor gas field is operated by Pearl Petroleum, a consortium that includes UAE-based Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum. The field has come under numerous Katyusha and drone attacks in recent years, and the Kurdish authorities have blamed Iran-backed militia groups.”

Khor Mor gas field has been increasing its natural gas capacity

Crescent Petroleum, which is involved with the site, had said earlier in the month that the field was increasing its natural gas capacity.

“It’s a pride for us, but it is a pride for Kurdistan, and it’s a pride really for all of Iraq because, actually, it’s hugely beneficial, of course, for the electricity situation within the Kurdistan Region, but also for other parts of Iraq,” CEO Majid Jafar told Rudaw on November 6.

“Crescent Petroleum and its affiliate Dana Gas signed an agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in 2007 to develop its gas resources,” the network added.

Al-Ain media in the UAE, quoting Reuters, said that “security forces fired on a drone to prevent it from reaching the Khor Mor gas field in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region late Sunday evening.”

This report said that the gas field was undamaged. “A drone approached the Khor Mor field, one of Iraq’s largest gas fields, forcing air defenses to open fire to prevent it from reaching the site. [A] source said it was not yet known whether air defenses had shot down the drone. Sirens sounded in the field, and personnel moved to safe areas.”