ERBIL, Kurdistan Region-- The Islamic State (ISIS) dismantled a refinery near Baiji, and transported it to the northern city of Mosul, Iraqi military sources said.
Military officials and witnesses said that ISIS militants dismantled a Chinese refinery for crude oil in the western region of Baiji, and transported it by large trucks to Mosul through unpaved roads in ISIS-controlled territory.
“The Chinese refinery is still under the control of ISIS militants, we have heard about it but we're not sure as we do not know what is going on there,” the mayor Baiji Mohamed Mahmoud told Rudaw.
Many more trucks were reportedly lined up to carry away parts of the refinery.
Located in Salahaddin province Baiji is Iraq's largest refinery facility.
The Chinese refinery has the capacity to process 20,000 barrels of oil per day, and is one of five small refineries controlled by the North Refineries Company for the production of oil products for domestic use.
The town was captured by the ISIS in June, but the larger refinery facility remained under the control of the Iraqi army’s Golden Brigade.
According to the mayor, coalition fighter jets have expanded their air campaign to the Baiji area where “Launched a number of strikes against the ISIS stronghold in some villages on Wednesday, such as Ajaj, al Butah and other agricultural areas, which led to the deaths of dozens of armed men.”
