Security

As Iraq tries to rein in paramilitary groups, oil sector threats remain

Several armed groups say they will put their weapons under state control, but the most aggressive Iran-backed fighters remain outside the process.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi (center front) attends a ceremony on June 14, 2026, to mark the 12th anniversary of the creation of the Popular Mobilization Forces. (Photo credit: Prime Minister's Office)

Nov 13, 2013

Turmoil in Basra oil sector after violent religious controversy

After alleged offenses against Shiite religious observances, two separate mob attacks at the Rumaila field left a British contractor hospitalized and forced Baker Hughes and Schlumberger to shut down operations.

Nov 3, 2013

Ahdab oil field raided by gunmen

Assailants breached security, detained guards and staff, and stole money and equipment in an attack blamed on gang-style robbery rather than terrorism.

Oct 1, 2013

Bomb in Daura refinery mosque caps bloody day

A deadly attack highlights Iraq's intensifying sectarian violence and exposes security gaps around a critical piece of infrastructure.

Sep 29, 2013

Major attack strikes Erbil security forces

Militants launched a sophisticated assault on the military intelligence headquarters in the heart of Kurdistan's capital, killing at least six people.

Sep 18, 2013

New pipeline bombing adds to Kirkuk field woes

Iraq's export pipeline to Turkey was bombed again, depriving Iraq of oil sales and compounding production setbacks at its northern fields.

Aug 29, 2013

Tigris towns shut off water to avoid oil contamination

More than a week after a major oil spill, authorities are still struggling to staunch the flow of a massive oil slick on Iraq's main waterway.

Aug 22, 2013

Pipeline bombed again, Tigris contamination feared

Local officials warn of water contamination after a series of overnight bombings shut the export pipeline and send crude into the Tigris River.

Aug 18, 2013

Syrian refugees entering Kurdistan by the thousands

The floodgates of the Syrian civil war's humanitarian crisis are open as refugees cross a new Tigris River bridge by the busloads and pour into overcrowded camps.

Aug 14, 2013

Northern oil pipeline, police attacked

Insurgents bombed the already crippled northern export pipeline and attacked the security forces trying to protect it.

Aug 10, 2013

As disputed territories bleed, security turf war intensifies

Federal, Kurdish, and local authorities are scrambling to combat a rash of militant attacks – and using the occasion to reinforce contentious territorial claims.