Drone attacks between July 14 and 16 shut down 70 percent of oil output in Kurdistan Region. This sudden halt hit the region’s already struggling economy hard.
Unidentified drones targeted five oil fields in two days. The strikes stopped nearly 220,000 barrels of oil each day. These attacks disrupted fuel flow and energy supply across the Kurdistan Region. Fortunately, no injuries or deaths were reported.
Masrour Barzani’s deputy chief of staff spoke out after the strikes. He blamed the attacks on criminal militias paid by the federal government. However, no group has claimed the drone operations yet.
These attacks come during rising tensions over oil revenue control. Since May, the central government has frozen all budget payments to the Kurdistan Region. As a result, the regional government struggles to pay public employees, including doctors, teachers, and civil servants.
The oil shutdown adds pressure on leaders in Erbil and Duhok. Without regular budget transfers or oil income, the region faces deeper financial troubles. Many families now wait for delayed salaries and worry about rising prices.
Officials say restoring oil operations remains urgent. But without guarantees of safety, resuming work at targeted oil fields remains difficult. Talks between regional and central leaders remain tense and unresolved.