Iraqi court acquits 4 suspects of Khor Mor drone attack
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Baghdad court has ordered the release of four members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) who were accused of carrying out a deadly drone attack in April on Khor Mor, a key gas field, in Sulaimani province.
According to a document seen by Rudaw, the court ruled the release of suspects Muhsin Sulaiman, Ali Jaafar, Mohammed Hashim, and Abbas Jassim on Tuesday after concluding there was not enough evidence to prove their involvement in a drone attack on April 26 on Khor Mor gas field, operated by UAE-based Dana Gas which resulted in the death of four Yemeni nationals.
The attack drew international condemnation at the time.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has yet to comment on the Baghdad court ruling. The Kurdish government had labeled the strike as a “terrorist” attack.
Ramik Ramazan, the mayor of Chamchamal, told Rudaw at the time that the drone targeted the same spot that was hit by Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups in January. The victims were fixing damage caused by the earlier strike.
The attack caused a temporary but huge blackout in the Kurdistan Region because Kurdistan's government heavily relies on the field’s gas for power generation.
Khor Mor field, located in Chamchamal town, produces 452 million standard-cubic-feet of gas per day, according to Dana Gas. The attack impacted power generation.
"I would like to emphasize that this attack will put the stability and tranquility of the country in jeopardy. The relevant authorities in Iraq should do their duty by preventing such attacks and finding the perpetrators, regardless of which party they are affiliated to, let them face the legal consequences," Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani said in a statement following the strike.
According to a document seen by Rudaw, the court ruled the release of suspects Muhsin Sulaiman, Ali Jaafar, Mohammed Hashim, and Abbas Jassim on Tuesday after concluding there was not enough evidence to prove their involvement in a drone attack on April 26 on Khor Mor gas field, operated by UAE-based Dana Gas which resulted in the death of four Yemeni nationals.
The attack drew international condemnation at the time.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has yet to comment on the Baghdad court ruling. The Kurdish government had labeled the strike as a “terrorist” attack.
Ramik Ramazan, the mayor of Chamchamal, told Rudaw at the time that the drone targeted the same spot that was hit by Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups in January. The victims were fixing damage caused by the earlier strike.
The attack caused a temporary but huge blackout in the Kurdistan Region because Kurdistan's government heavily relies on the field’s gas for power generation.
Khor Mor field, located in Chamchamal town, produces 452 million standard-cubic-feet of gas per day, according to Dana Gas. The attack impacted power generation.
"I would like to emphasize that this attack will put the stability and tranquility of the country in jeopardy. The relevant authorities in Iraq should do their duty by preventing such attacks and finding the perpetrators, regardless of which party they are affiliated to, let them face the legal consequences," Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani said in a statement following the strike.