ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Wednesday announced that the attack on Sulaimani's Khor Mor gas field was carried out by "outlaws", adding that Erbil and Baghdad are set to coordinate to provide air defense to the key field.

The high-level investigative committee probing last week’s attack on the Khor Mor gas field on Wednesday submitted its findings to Sudani during a meeting, Numan said, adding that the attack was carried out by “outlaws”, some of whom have “outstanding arrest warrants.”

“The cowardly attack was carried out by two drones. One drone struck the field, while the other crashed outside of it. The wreckage of both drones was collected by the forensics department for analysis of the memory devices,” read Numan’s statement.

The spokesperson further added that the committee recommended a set of measures to protect the field in the future, with the investigative body suggesting that “the Ministry of Defense, in coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Government [KRG], should provide the field with air defense systems and ensure its protection.”

A strike targeted the Khor Mor gas field in Sulaimani’s Chamchamal district last week, shutting down production at the key field and slashing the Kurdistan Region’s electricity production for days. 

The strike was heavily condemned regionally and internationally, with the KRG in particular appealing for defense systems at the key facility – the largest of its kind in the Kurdistan Region. 

A security source earlier on Wednesday told The New Region that the attack was carried out near Tuz Khurmatu.

Among the recommended security measures, is also the redeployment of security forces in the eastern Salah al-Din operations sector “to close any security gaps, maintain coordination between security and intelligence agencies and the units holding the ground, and ensure unified command,” as well as “directing the Ministries of Defense and Interior, and the Popular Mobilization Forces [PMF], to replace the commanders in these areas with competent leaders.”

Production has since been “restored to normal levels” and security at the facility has been strengthened, the UAE-based Dana Gas, who operate the field, announced earlier on Wednesday, thanking Erbil and Baghdad for the heightened security measures.