Sudani Directed Halt of Khor Mor Gas Output — A Move Seen as Intentional Attempt to Plunge Kurdistan Into Darkness

ARK News.. An American news outlet has revealed that Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani instructed Dana Gas — the operator of the Khor Mor field in the Kurdistan Region — to keep gas production fully suspended until a ministerial committee completes its investigation into the recent rocket attack on the facility.

According to sources cited by Al-Monitor, Sudani offered no technical justification for the directive, which the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) described as “provocative.” Complying with the order, officials said, would have plunged the region into total darkness and crippled essential infrastructure, as power plants supplying nearly six million people rely almost entirely on gas produced at Khor Mor.

A senior KRG official, speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, expressed deep astonishment at the move: “We were shocked by Sudani’s boldness. Imagine the catastrophe we would have faced had this order been carried out.”

The federal government formed a ministerial committee to investigate the November 26 attack, which caused a temporary power outage. Sudani gave the committee 72 hours to release its findings, yet the deadline passed without any official report.

Amid growing concerns, the Kurdistan Region’s leadership rejected Baghdad’s instructions and ordered an immediate resumption of gas production to ensure uninterrupted electricity for citizens. The escalation adds further strain to already contentious relations between Baghdad and Erbil, long marred by disputes over oil policy, budget allocations, and authority over natural resources.

Khor Mor — operated by UAE-based Dana Gas in partnership with Crescent Petroleum — is one of the Kurdistan Region’s largest gas fields and has been repeatedly targeted since 2022, with the latest attack occurring late last month.

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