ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Targeting the Kurdistan Region’s economic infrastructure affect people across Iraq, PM Masrour Barzani told the country’s electricity minister on Thursday, days after a drone strike targeted the Khor Mor gas field in Sulaimani.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday received the Federal Government of Iraq’s Electricity Minister Ziyad Ali Fadel.

The meeting discussed ongoing projects and reforms in the electricity sector, emphasizing the importance of continued coordination between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Federal Government.

During the meeting, Barzani addressed the recent terrorist attack on the Khor Mor gas field, saying that targeting the Region's economic infrastructure harms all Iraqi citizens.” 

“We must prevent such attacks from recurring,” he emphasized.

The Iraqi Electricity Minister praised the coordination and positive relations between the ministries of the Federal government of Iraq and the KRG, highlighting their joint commitment to providing better services for citizens as a shared goal.

A suicide drone hit the Khor Mor gas field in Chamchamal, Sulaimani province on Friday where UAE company Dana Gas is investing, resulting in casualties and injuries among both foreigners and local nationals.

The incident triggered widespread condemnation and calls for an investigation from local and international political and diplomatic figures and institutions.

Following the strike, the KRG announced a reduction of 2500 megawatts in power generation, resulting in power shut down in most of Erbil and other areas, but later announced the restoration of 1600 megawatts on Saturday.

The Emirati Dana Gas company on Monday announced that they had temporarily suspended their operations in the field in light of the attack, a move that was perceived to be of harm to both Erbil and Baghdad, until the firm announced the resumption of its operations.

Iraq, despite having the world’s third largest proven oil reserves, has for years struggled to establish a natural gas industry of its own.

The country is considered among the top countries contributing to global gas flaring, a method that not only wastes the country’s ability to produce its own gas and fuel its own electricity, but also negatively impacts the climate.

For years, Baghdad has been reliant on importing gas from neighboring Iran to fuel the country’s electricity generation, and during excessively hot summers, the country experiences blackouts as Iran at times reduces gas exports claiming they need it for local use.

However, the Kurdistan Region’s natural gas infrastructure, in Khor Mor specifically, has over the years been subject to several attacks attributed to Iran-backed armed groups.