Security

Deadly hemorrhagic fever outbreak hits Iraq

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever has killed at least 18 people this year as health authorities warn of an increasing spread and inadequate government response.

Butchers wrestle with cattle in the Rashid district of Baghdad ahead of Eid al-Adha on Dec. 10, 2008. (Photo credit: Todd Frantom/Wikimedia Commons)

May 4, 2022

Another refinery attack signals rising threat

Sunday's rocket strike on KAR Group's refinery complex in Erbil damaged a storage tank and highlighted increasing security risks for Iraqi Kurdistan's critical energy infrastructure.

Apr 12, 2022

Attack hits near Kurdistan’s export pipeline

An explosion Sunday night in the vicinity of a pumping station highlights potential vulnerabilities of key energy infrastructure.

Apr 7, 2022

Rocket attack misses Kurdistan refinery complex but raises security concerns

Just three weeks after Iranian ballistic missiles destroyed the house of the head of KAR Group, a rocket attack appeared to target the company's refinery complex.

Mar 16, 2022

Iranian missiles destroy house of prominent Kurdish oil businessman

The IRGC says it was targeting Israeli interests in Erbil, but the main victim of the 12-missile barrage appears to have been the private residence of the CEO of KAR Group, who has no known ties to Israel.

Feb 23, 2022

Dhi Qar unrest raises oil sector risks

Protesters are threatening to shut down the Nassiriya field, and deadly violence has caused one American company to suspend oil operations in the province.

Jan 25, 2022

KRG resumes Syria crude trade

After more than a month, the border has reopened for both trade and humanitarian traffic, alleviating economic pressure on a U.S. ally in the counter-IS fight.

Jan 20, 2022

Northern exports resume after Turkey pipeline explosion

The temporary outage had no apparent impact on oil field operations or export volumes, but the cause of the incident is a matter of uncertainty and potential concern.

Jan 19, 2022

Oil worker shot in attempted highway robbery

Despite the presence of a security protection team, an armed gang attacked a convoy carrying international oil workers to the Basra airport.

Dec 15, 2021

Water shortages prompt RPG fire near Gharraf oil field

As Iraq begins to suffer the intensifying effects of climate change, competition for water threatens to spark conflict.

Dec 7, 2021

Intensifying IS attacks strike near northern oil fields

In a single week, deadly insurgent operations near the Khurmala, Avana, Bai Hassan, and Sarqala oil fields showcase IS's firepower and persistence.

Oct 29, 2021

Suspected Islamic State attack triggers deadly sectarian reprisal in Diyala

Fears over cyclical violence following an Islamic State attack near the Mansuriya gas field in Diyala province has driven substantial civilian displacement.

Oct 9, 2021

New PKK election strategy highlights intra-Kurdish tensions

The Kurdish separatist group is making an unprecedented foray into Iraqi politics, using upcoming national elections to challenge Iraqi Kurdistan's ruling party.

Sep 22, 2021

Insurgency worsens with deadly new tactics

The Islamic State militant group is staging increasingly bold attacks on both security forces and civilians in northern Iraq, with energy infrastructure also at risk.

Aug 19, 2021

Q&A: Jabar Yawar, Secretary General of the Peshmerga

Developments in Afghanistan have cast a shadow over the U.S. role in supporting anti-ISIS forces in Iraq, but the longstanding Peshmerga commander says there's no sign of an American pull out.

Aug 16, 2021

Latest energy sector attacks underscore need to fast-track security coordination

Gaps remain between Iraqi and Kurdistan region security forces in northern Iraq, and insurgents are still able to carry out attacks against energy infrastructure, kidnap and kill civilians, and ambush security forces.

Jul 20, 2021

Multiple Basra fires expose poor safety standards

Lax oversight, outdated infrastructure, and extreme heat combust as Iraq’s oil capital suffers three fire emergencies in a single day.

Jun 21, 2021

Escalating PKK war raises threat of intra-Kurdish conflict

For over two decades, rival Kurdish powers have sworn to avoid civil war — but deadly fighting has strained an informal truce to its breaking point.

May 27, 2021

Baghdad-Erbil security cooperation raises hope for counter-insurgency fight

After two years of talks, federal and KRG security forces have opened joint coordination centers that could help close security gaps exploited by insurgents.

May 5, 2021

Insurgents bomb Bai Hassan oil field, exploiting security gaps

Kirkuk's oil fields lack adequate protection because so many security forces were removed in a government crackdown on corrupt units involved in smuggling.

Apr 7, 2021

Escalating protests disrupt Dhi Qar energy sector

Political upheaval and unabated protests have once again boiled over, shutting down the Nassiriya refinery and causing fuel shortages.

Mar 22, 2021

Q&A: Lt. Gen. Saad Ali Aati al-Harbiya, former head of Kirkuk’s Joint Operations Command

Harbiya, who was moved to the Joint Operations Command in Baghdad last week, discusses the fight against insurgents, improving coordination among rival security services, and winning the trust of locals.

Jan 20, 2021

Power station bombed as insurgents exploit northern Iraq security gaps

Security leaders in Baghdad and Erbil have failed to implement plans to set up joint coordination centers.

Dec 7, 2020

U.S.-led coalition drops Iraqi F-16s from anti-IS missions

The coalition's decision to remove the Iraqi Air Force from air tasking orders highlights ongoing failures to address the dysfunction and corruption that have crippled a multi-billion-dollar fleet of fighter jets.