Kurdish minister rebuts 'nonsense' claims over Khor Mor gasfield attack

A Kurdish minister has dismissed claims that a Kurdish group could have attacked the gasfield at Khor Mor, and warned against speculation while an investigation is under way.

Ahmed Mufti, Deputy Minister for Natural Resources of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, said he had confidence in the investigation launched by Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi in the aftermath of Sunday's attack.

“We are open to giving all the related data to the related party for the investigation,” he said, speaking at the foreign affairs think tank Chatham House.

Earlier on Wednesday, Basim Al Badri, the head of Iraq’s National Security Department, said the Iraqi government had not ruled out the possibility of an internal attack by feuding Kurdish groups on the facility.

Mr Mufti told The National the claims were “nonsense”.

“I’m surprised that within 24 hours [of the investigation’s launch] a bold statement like this can be made. I believe this is emotional. Let’s wait for a conclusion,” he told a Chatham House panel. “My advice to all and everyone is to refrain from making any statements right now until the final investigation is out,” he said.

Around 10 million people in Iraq were left without electricity and cooking fuel as a result of the attack, according to estimates by Crescent Petroleum, which had operations at the gasfield. The price of electricity more than doubled.

Mr Al Badri’s comments come as Iraq's government is struggling to disarm Iran-backed Shiite militias in the country, which have attacked energy facilities in the Gulf in response to the US war in Iran.

Oil and gas insiders in Iraqi Kurdistan told The National that Khor Mor oil and gas operators would be able to know which direction the drone came from, with one describing Mr Al Badri’s comments as “really insulting, it’s like saying the sky is green”.

Majid Jafar, Crescent Petroleum’s chief executive, said that although it was the 12th attack on the facility in its lifetime, it had been among the worst.

“This last one really was a shock, especially at a time when the wider war seems to be de-escalating. We saw significant damage to the production facilities. We’re still assessing the scale. There will be lots of repairs,” Mr Jafar said.

But he praised the Iraqi government’s response. “The attack was an attack on the people of Iraq and on Iraq’s sovereignty. We welcome Prime Minister Al Zaidi taking quick action, sending an investigation committee,” he said.

Mr Al Zaidi had met oil and gas companies in June, promising to protect the companies and ensure their compensation, he said. This was followed up with an official letter from the Iraqi government reiterating those assurances.

“This time we hope to see, unlike previous attacks, concrete steps for protection and for identifying and holding accountable the perpetrators,” Mr Jafar said.