ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Tuesday ordered an “immediate” investigation to identify the parties responsible for the drone attacks that struck two oil fields in the Kurdistan Region.

A bomb-laden drone targeted the Sarsang oilfield in Duhok province on Tuesday, without resulting in any human losses. On Monday evening, two suicide drones targeted Khurmala field in Erbil, but did not result in any casualties or damage.

Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi armed forces, in a statement on Tuesday said that the attacks pose “a direct threat to the interests of Iraqis.”

“The nature and timing of these criminal acts indicate malicious intent aimed at disrupting the situation and harming Iraq and its vital institutions,” read the statement from the spokesperson.

A series of aerial attacks by unidentified actors have targeted the Kurdistan Region and Kirkuk since late June, coming days after the declaration of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

The attacks on the oil fields came hours after international oil producers operating in the Kurdistan Region said they were “pleased” with the progress in negotiations between Erbil and Baghdad which aim to resume Kurdish oil exports “in the near term.”

Numan said that Sudani has directed relevant authorities to launch “an immediate and comprehensive investigation to identify the parties behind these attacks and to take firm measures to hold those involved accountable without hesitation or leniency.”

“We also affirm that the Iraqi government, with all its institutions and agencies, will not tolerate any threat to the interests of the Iraqi people and will take all necessary measures to protect vital facilities and strengthen the defense system, preventing the recurrence of such acts, preserving Iraq's sovereignty, and protecting the rights of its people,” the statement concluded.

The attacks on the oil fields have been widely condemned.

The Iraqi Presidency condemned the attacks in a statement on Tuesday, calling on relevant authorities to “take appropriate and urgent measures to uncover the perpetrators and prevent the recurrence of such terrorist attacks, which threaten Iraq's economy and the security and safety of its citizens.”

The Iraqi Parliament’s Second Deputy Speaker Shakhawan Abdullah also slammed the strikes and directed the parliamentary security and defense committee to follow up on the issue and determine the causes of the repeated “violations”.

The attacks have sparked tensions between Erbil and Baghdad, with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) decrying the federal authorities’ initial silence toward the strikes.

In a statement last week, the KRG accused groups affiliated with the Iraqi state-linked Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) of being behind the recent aerial attacks. Baghdad swiftly denied the allegations, saying the accusations “against an official Iraqi security institution is impermissible, condemned, and unacceptable under any pretext.”