Sulaimani’s key gas field targeted by rocket

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A rocket attack targeted Sulaimani province’s Khor Mor gas field run by a UAE-based company on Wednesday. A Kurdish official told Rudaw that the attack has not impacted the production of gas in the field.

Sdiq Mohammed, head of Qadir Karam subdistrict in Chamchamal district, told Rudaw that the vital Khor Mor gas field, run by Dana Gas, came under a rocket attack late Wednesday afternoon, adding that the number of rockets fired towards the field is unclear.

Ahmed Mufti, Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) natural resources deputy minister, told Rudaw that the attack has not affected the operations of the field. He also denied the claims that employees have fled the field. 

Sulaimani-based Counter Terrorism Group (CTG) confirmed the incident in a statement, saying “a Katyusha [rocket] was fired from unidentified place towards Khor Mor field but did not cause any casualties.”

The force also said that they are investigating the incident.

Rudaw was told by a witness who did not want to be identified that at least one person has been injured in the attack but Sharif Rahim, deputy head of Chamchamal health directorate, said they had not reported any injuries.

Rudaw English reached out to the Dana Gas office in Sulaimani but they were not immediately available. 

Khor Mor field produces 452 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, according to Dana Gas.

Rocket and drone attacks in the Kurdistan Region, mostly blamed on pro-Iran militia groups, have increased recently, targeting oil and gas fields, security forces and residential areas.

At least two rockets targeted Peshmerga positions in Nineveh province on Tuesday, stated the Kurdistan Region’s counter-terrorism, without resulting in any casualties or material damage.

Turkey also has carried out several drone attacks, targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Iran carried out a missile attack against the residency of a Kurdish businessman in Erbil in March on the grounds that it included Israeli officials.

Updated at 8:54 pm