Security

Basra tanker attack marks deepening crisis for Iraq oil sector

Iraq is facing a widening array of security threats and economic consequences from the Iran war.

Iraqi ports director Farhan al-Fartousi (right) conducts an inspection on March 12, 2026, of the site of an Iranian attack on oil tankers the previous night. (Photo credit: General Company for Ports of Iraq)

Jul 13, 2018

Government offers oil job promises to settle protesters

Demonstrators turned violent on fifth straight day of protests in an attempt to enter Basra oil fields, though were repelled by security forces.

Jul 11, 2018

Four killed protecting pipeline warehouse outside Kirkuk

Unknown assailants alleged to be the self-proclaimed Islamic State killed workers at a pipeline warehouse in Dibis, northwest of Kirkuk.

Jul 11, 2018

Low-level smuggling is high stakes for local officials

Iraqi authorities have discovered several small-scale smuggling rackets in and around Basra over the past year.

Jul 9, 2018

Protester killed in services protest outside Basra oil field

Iraqi security forces shot protesters in an escalation of chronic frustration with a lack of jobs and services, including salty water that shut down the Basra refinery.

Apr 24, 2018

Insurgents use intimidation to amplify influence

Islamic State militants thrive in large security gaps across northern Iraq, moving freely among villages, shopping for supplies, and using threats to enforce compliance.

Mar 2, 2018

Northern Iraq reeling as IS regroups for insurgency

The government cannot control large swaths of territory, as Islamic State insurgents solidify footholds and launch attacks targeting security forces and energy infrastructure.

Feb 12, 2018

Reconstruction hopes hinge on Kuwait conference

The 2018 draft budget allocates a tiny fraction of the funding needed to rebuild from the IS war; for the rest, Iraq is seeking international donations and investment.

Dec 19, 2017

Tensions rise over Khurmala

With rival armed forces massed near strategically important oil assets, federal and KRG negotiators are at an impasse.

Dec 14, 2017

Mysterious militants raise new fears of insurgency

A new armed group has appeared in northern Iraq, causing locals to fear that IS is regrouping and re-branding for guerrilla warfare.

Nov 23, 2017

IS insurgency exploits Baghdad-KRG conflict

Thousands of federal and Kurdish soldiers are pointing their weapons at each other, leaving volatile territory inadequately guarded and vulnerable to an emboldened IS insurgency.