ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Saturday reiterated that the perpetrators of the Khor Mor attack must be held accountable, and emphasized the need to bring armed groups operating outside of the Iraqi state’s control under proper oversight.

A strike targeted the Khor Mor gas field in Sulaimani province late Wednesday, shutting down production at the key field, and severely slashing the Kurdistan Region’s electricity production for days.

In a statement on Saturday evening, Prime Minister Barzani thanked people of the Kurdistan Region for their “patience and resilience,” and announced that they have agreed with Dana Gas, which operates Khor Mor, to “restart production in the next several hours to restore electricity.”

Barzani said that he has assured the UAE-based gas company that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will do everything in its might alongside its partners in the Iraqi federal government to prevent further “terrorist attacks” and hold the perpetrators accountable. Erbil is also working with international partners to “secure the capabilities necessary to protect our people, critical infrastructure and investments.”

“This incident cannot be allowed to pass without public accountability. It cannot become the norm,” wrote the Kurdish premier, noting that he has urged Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani to hold the perpetrators of this attack accountable “to the full extent of the law, whoever they may be and wherever they are,” noting that Erbil expects “serious measures.”

The KRG’s interior ministry on Thursday criticized Baghdad for failing to take action against the perpetrators of a spate of drone attacks on the Kurdistan Region’s energy infrastructure in June and July, despite a joint committee identifying the parties responsible over two months ago.

“Iraq cannot attract investment when militias, mafias, the corrupt, and armed groups outside of the state’s control willingly bomb national infrastructure and investments at zero cost and find satisfaction in the suffering of the people of the Kurdistan Region,” Barzani added in his Saturday statement.

US Special Envoy to Iraq Mark Savaya on Saturday also highlighted the need for the Iraqi government to bring weapons under state control and ensure state institutions are protected.

“No economy can grow, and no international partnership can succeed, in an environment where politics is intertwined with unofficial power. Iraq now has a historic opportunity to close this chapter and reinforce its image as a state built on the rule of law, not the power of weapons,” Savaya wrote on X

Prior to the strike on Khor Mor, the Kurdistan Region was rapidly advancing toward providing round-the-clock electricity for its entire population, but the recent attack has led to partial blackouts across the Region’s provinces since Wednesday.

“During this attack, it became patently clear that the adversaries and hired fixers could not fathom the progress of the Kurdistan Region or the well-being of its people. They instead resorted to cowardly, inhumane acts and plunged the public into darkness,” said Barzani.

“These cowardly attacks will not deter our promise to improve the lives of our beloved citizens. We will continue our journey for progress and prosperity, and I urge the public to continue to support the government’s efforts and agenda,” the Kurdish premier concluded.