Khor Mor drone attack raises fears over Iraq’s energy security

What the report says

A drone strike on the Khor Mor gasfield in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region has deepened concerns about the country’s energy security and the vulnerability of major power infrastructure. According to Al Jazeera, the attack late on Sunday caused a fire and led to a disruption in gas deliveries to several power stations in Sulaimaniyah governorate, temporarily cutting electricity generation in areas run by the Kurdistan Regional Government by an estimated 2,500 to 2,800 megawatts.

The field, one of the largest in the Kurdistan region, has been targeted before, and the latest incident comes amid rising regional tensions and renewed debate in Baghdad over bringing weapons held by armed factions under state control. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has ordered a joint investigation with Kurdish regional authorities, but no group has said it carried out the strike. Al Jazeera reported that Kurdish officials have previously blamed Iran-backed groups for similar attacks, though the source of this one has not been officially confirmed.

The report also links the timing of the attack to political strain inside the Kurdish region, including tensions between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera said the strike highlights wider questions about Iraqi sovereignty, the ability of federal authorities to protect strategic sites, and the risk that repeated attacks could deter investment in the energy sector. As a broader context, Iraq has long faced challenges from competing armed groups, political fragmentation, and pressure on its electricity supply, which makes infrastructure like Khor Mor especially sensitive.