Khamis al-Khanjar, leader of the Sovereignty Alliance, speaks during an interview in Baghdad.
'Terrorist attacks'
Khamis Al-Khanjar blames ‘lawless militias’ for drone strikes on Kurdistan Region oil fields
BAGHDAD — Sovereignty Alliance leader Khamis al-Khanjar on Tuesday condemned a wave of drone strikes on oil fields in Erbil and Duhok governorates, calling them acts of sabotage by “lawless militias” aimed at undermining Iraq’s stability and derailing political progress.
“The terrorist attacks that targeted oil fields in Duhok and Erbil governorates with explosive drones in recent hours represent a serious threat to the country’s security and stability and a direct targeting of Iraqis’ resources,” al-Khanjar said in a statement.
He linked the timing of the attacks to recent efforts by the federal and regional governments to resolve the Kurdistan Region’s public employee salary crisis — a step he described as a breakthrough.
“The continuation of these assaults, in parallel with the breakthrough on public employee salaries in the Kurdistan Region, expresses the will of lawless militias that do not want the country to move toward full political, security, social, and economic stability,” he said.
Al-Khanjar also voiced support for federal authorities investigating the incidents. “We support the efforts of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in revealing the parties responsible for these attacks, and we affirm our full support for the measures taken by the Iraqi security forces to confront these assaults,” he said.
His comments come as tensions rise following five drone strikes on key oil infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region over a 48-hour period. The attacks began Monday night at the Khurmala oil field near Erbil, damaging water infrastructure. Early Tuesday, a drone struck the Sarsang field in Duhok, causing a fire and prompting HKN Energy to suspend operations.
On Wednesday, three more strikes targeted the Peshkhabour and Tawke fields in Zakho — both operated by Norwegian energy firm DNO — and the HKN-operated field in Baadre, in Duhok’s Sheikhan district. DNO confirmed temporary production shutdowns and material damage but reported no injuries.
The Kurdistan Regional Government has condemned the attacks as deliberate attempts to destabilize the Region’s economy and jeopardize the safety of its oil sector workforce. No group has claimed responsibility.
