KRG official says drones that hit oil sites launched from Kirkuk’s Dibis district

ERBIL — A senior Kurdistan Regional Government official said Saturday that the explosive drones used in recent attacks on oil infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region were launched from Dibis district in Kirkuk governorate, marking the first public identification of an alleged launch point by a KRG representative.

Aziz Ahmed, deputy chief of staff to KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, posted on X, formerly Twitter, “The suicide drones that targeted oil fields in the Kurdistan Region last week flew from Dibis, Kirkuk.”

Dibis is home to multiple units of the Popular Mobilization Forces, also known as Hashd al-Shaabi. The KRG has previously accused groups linked to the PMF of conducting coordinated drone strikes targeting energy infrastructure, but Saturday’s statement marks a direct attribution of origin.

Ahmed’s remarks follow a wave of drone attacks on July 17 that hit oil installations in Duhok’s Sheikhan and Chamanke districts, with an earlier strike reported in Erbil’s Bahrka district. One of the targeted facilities is operated by U.S.-based Hunt Oil.

The attacks forced the temporary shutdown of several production sites, taking more than 200,000 barrels per day offline. The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan condemned the strikes, warning that “these attacks threatened the lives and safety of our predominantly Iraqi workforce and expatriate staff of various nationalities, and also damaged facilities.” The group called on both Baghdad and Erbil to bolster protection for critical infrastructure.

Ahmed previously stated that five oil fields were hit, including two run by American companies, and warned that the Kurdistan Region’s “very survival — and its infrastructure — hangs in the balance.” Though no group has claimed responsibility, he added, “We know exactly who’s behind these attacks and where they’re coming from.”

Earlier this month, the KRG Ministry of Interior formally accused groups affiliated with the PMF of orchestrating a coordinated drone campaign aimed at destabilizing the region.

U.S. officials have condemned the attacks, with the State Department calling them a threat to Iraq’s economic future and urging the federal government to take steps to protect its citizens and vital infrastructure.