Erbil backs Baghdad’s investigation into Saudi pipeline attack

ERBIL — The Kurdistan Region Presidency condemned the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and backed the federal investigation, saying Iraqi territory must not be used to launch attacks on other countries.

The presidency condemned “the attacks carried out last night against facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” expressed solidarity with the kingdom and supported federal measures “to investigate these attacks, determine their source and identify those responsible.” Iraqi territory should not under any circumstances be used as a base for attacks on other countries or for actions violating their sovereignty and endangering regional security, it said, calling for Iraq’s national interests and regional stability to remain the priority.

Coalition forces shot down 10 bomb-laden drones over Erbil governorate on Sept. 2, and two drones struck the private office of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the home of the head of the Parastin intelligence agency in mid-August, an attack Barzani blamed on Iran. Three drones hit an Iranian Kurdish camp in Surdash in Sulaymaniyah last week.

Saudi Arabia said several drones launched from Iraqi territory struck its East-West pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions on Friday, causing injuries and material damage, and said it would not retaliate at this stage after Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi asked for time to prevent further attacks. Spokesperson for the commander-in-chief Sabah al-Numan said the drones came from Maysan governorate, which borders Iran. Zaidi dismissed the Maysan Operations commander and on Saturday removed the governorate’s police chief and referred the heads of its security agencies for investigation, while Baghdad closed the Shalamcheh, Shib and Mandali crossings with Iran. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq denied responsibility, calling it “an honor we do not claim” and offering to join a government investigation.