Attack on Khor Mor field triggers massive power outage as authorities race to restore gas supply
A drone strike late Wednesday targeted an Emirati-owned gas complex in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, cutting off gas supplies and plunging much of the region into darkness, local authorities announced.
In a joint statement, the region’s natural resources and electricity ministries said the attack occurred at 11:30 p.m. (2030 GMT), hitting the Khor Mor gas field and forcing a complete shutdown of gas deliveries to power plants across Kurdistan.
AFP correspondents reported widespread electricity outages, including in the city of Sulaimaniyah.
Located between Kirkuk and Sulaimaniyah, the Khor Mor field is the primary gas supplier for the region’s power generation. The strike dealt a significant blow to the power grid, according to Omed Ahmed, spokesperson for the regional electricity authority. He confirmed that Kurdistan lost 2,600 megawatts of electricity, disrupting approximately 80 percent of the region’s supply.
Authorities said they are working closely with Dana Gas, the UAE-based operator of the facility, to assess the extent of the damage and begin repairs.
A local security source told AFP that the drone “targeted gas storage tanks, causing a major explosion and a large fire.” Iraq’s Joint Operations Command confirmed the strike set one of the main storage tanks ablaze but reported no casualties.
The military command added that the attack was intended to undermine “security and economic stability” at a time when Iraq has only recently begun to experience improved stability.
There has been no immediate claim of responsibility.
Drone and rocket attacks have repeatedly struck the Khor Mor complex in recent years. In April 2024, a drone attack killed four Yemeni workers at the site. Earlier this year, the Kurdistan region also experienced a series of unclaimed strikes, mostly targeting oilfields.
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