A drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region has halted production at the strategic energy facility, triggering a major electricity disruption, as Iraqi security sources investigate reports that the drone was launched from the disputed district of Tuz Khurmatu in Salah al-Din province.

Several Iraqi military and intelligence sources told Kurdistan24 that the drone used in Sunday's attack appeared to have approached the facility from the direction of Tuz Khurmatu, southwest of the gas field. However, investigations are continuing to establish the precise launch site and identify those responsible.

An Iraqi army intelligence officer holding the rank of colonel told Kurdistan24 early Monday that the sound of the drone during its flight suggested it had been launched from within the boundaries of Tuz Khurmatu district.

Security personnel guarding the Khor Mor facility provided similar accounts, saying they had heard the drone approaching from the direction of the disputed district.

The command of the Second Joint Brigade of Iraqi forces, stationed at the main checkpoint at the entrance to Tuz Khurmatu, also confirmed that its personnel had heard the drone flying over the area before the attack.

Investigative teams and security forces are continuing to collect evidence to determine the exact origin of the strike and identify the party responsible. No group has claimed responsibility.

The attack occurred late Sunday night, striking a gas storage facility at the Khor Mor complex in Chamchamal district of Sulaymaniyah province and triggering a major fire.

According to reports from the site, the strike hit the facility's liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage and loading infrastructure, forcing the suspension of gas production and supplies to power stations.

The field's operator, UAE-based Dana Gas, confirmed that production had been suspended following the attack. The company said the fire had been extinguished, no personnel had been injured, and an assessment of the damage was underway.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered the formation of a joint investigative committee involving federal and Kurdistan Regional Government authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack.

The prime minister's office said preliminary assessments indicated that there had been no casualties.

In a joint statement, the Kurdistan Region's ministries of Natural Resources and Electricity described the incident as a terrorist attack and said they were working to minimize its impact on electricity supplies and restore normal services as soon as possible.

Tuz Khurmatu is one of the disputed territories outside the administrative boundaries of the Kurdistan Region. Its population is predominantly Kurdish and Turkmen, alongside a smaller Arab community.

During the former Baathist regime, an administrative decision separated the district from Kirkuk province and placed it under Salah al-Din province as part of policies that altered the administrative and demographic character of several disputed areas.

The district lies southwest of the Khor Mor gas field, making the reported direction of the drone's approach a significant element of the ongoing investigation.

Following the events of October 16, 2017, Tuz Khurmatu came under the control of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and other Iraqi security forces. Federal Police currently oversee internal security, while Iraqi Army units and armed Turkmen PMF factions are also deployed in surrounding areas.

The reported launch direction has renewed attention to security arrangements in the disputed territories and the presence of armed groups near critical energy infrastructure.

The attack has caused a major disruption to electricity generation across the Kurdistan Region.

A source familiar with the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Electricity told Kurdistan24 that gas supplies to power stations, which had exceeded 600 million cubic feet per day, fell to zero at 11:03 p.m. Sunday following the incident.

Electricity generation subsequently plunged from more than 3,700 megawatts to approximately 1,000 megawatts, representing a loss of between 2,500 and 2,700 megawatts of generating capacity.

The Kurdistan Regional Government's Electricity Ministry subsequently put the reduction in generation capacity at approximately 2,800 megawatts.

The disruption has affected major power stations in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, Bazian, and Chamchamal, leaving large parts of the region facing reduced electricity supplies.

Regional electricity officials said they were seeking to limit the impact by relying on alternative energy sources, including hydropower stations at the Dukan and Darbandikhan dams and power plants capable of operating on alternative fuels.

Hospitals, water treatment facilities, and other essential services are being prioritized as authorities attempt to prevent a wider electricity crisis.

The Khor Mor field is one of Iraq's most important natural gas facilities, producing approximately 750 million cubic feet of gas daily and supplying the majority of the Kurdistan Region's electricity generation.

The latest strike comes amid a history of repeated attacks targeting the Khor Mor facility, which has become a critical component of the Kurdistan Region's energy infrastructure.

The field was previously targeted by a drone attack in November 2025, which caused a fire at a storage facility and disrupted electricity generation by approximately 2,600 megawatts.

A separate drone attack in April 2024 killed four Yemeni workers at the site.

The facility's operations were also temporarily suspended in July 2026 amid security concerns before production was subsequently restored.

The latest attack has once again exposed the vulnerability of the region's critical energy infrastructure and raised questions about the ability of Iraqi and Kurdish authorities to prevent further strikes.

With production suspended and the extent of the damage still being assessed, the timing of the field's full restoration remains uncertain. (ILKHA)