Security

Drone attacks signal elevated risks for Kurdistan

A barrage of drone attacks in the past four days highlights rising security threats stemming from regional conflicts and Baghdad-Erbil political tensions.

Passengers enter the terminal of Erbil International Airport in February 2014. (JEFFERY BEALL/Wikimedia Commons)

Mar 2, 2020

Kidnappers feed off IS insurgency in Iraq’s disputed territories

In the lawless areas between federal government and KRG control, insurgents and gangsters are making money and terrorizing civilians with kidnapping and extortion operations.

Feb 27, 2020

Iraq braces for worsening coronavirus disruptions

Government efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus are increasingly affecting oil sector logistics, trade, and supplies of fuel and basic goods.

Feb 5, 2020

Gas contract feud highlights Kurdistan’s political rivalries

Unidentified gunmen have impeded trucks from loading LPG from the Khor Mor gas field, after competition between politically connected companies.

Jan 30, 2020

KRG walking a tightrope between US and Iran

A diplomatic balancing act has grown more challenging and risky in the month since Soleimani's assassination.

Jan 27, 2020

Nassiriya production returns as protesting tribe stands down

Less than a week after it was shut in, Nassiriya is back in operation following an agreement between the Dhi Qar Oil Company and local tribes demanding jobs.

Jan 21, 2020

Protests force Nassiriya oil field offline again

For the second time in less than a month, protesters in southern Iraq have impeded staff from accessing the 80,000 bpd oil field.

Jan 20, 2020

Protests around Ahdab threaten production

Ahdab field still producing, officials say, though protesters using road and checkpoint blockages could create logistical obstacles that could shut in fields.

Jan 15, 2020

Oil workers injured in shootout near Halfaya

A tribal dispute over contracts burst into violence, with field employees caught in the crossfire.

Jan 9, 2020

Iraq-U.S. tensions endanger counter-insurgency fight

Many Iraqi commanders fighting an ongoing IS insurgency say a prospective U.S. military withdrawal would deprive them of crucial training and capabilities.

Jan 3, 2020

Iraqi oil sector holds fast amid storm of U.S.-Iran conflict

Production and exports so far unaffected as some foreign oil workers evacuate, following the U.S. assassination of Qassim Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Mohandis.