Archive | 2014

Turkey Vows Support for KRG

By Patrick M Schmidt. Senior Officials in the Turkish ruling party announced that the country would do everything it could to ensure the security of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The announcement follows reports of Turkish fighter jets on patrol over the region. “As a strategic neighbor the stability and security of the Kurdistan Region […]

Etihad Reroutes Flights and Modifies Schedule

By Patrick M Schmidt. In the wake of other airlines and the American Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) ban for American commercial airlines, Abu Dhabi based airline, Etihad Airways, has announced that they will redirect their aircraft around Iraqi airspace. The airline has cancelled all flights to Erbil, but will maintain its current flight operations to […]

Oryx and Others Remove Staff from Iraq

By Patrick M Schmidt. As the United States begun strikes against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants, Canadian oil firm, Oryx, began evacuations of staff from their facilities in the Kurdistan region. The company announced that portion of its Demir Dagh oil field had been shut down. Drilling and other operations continued […]

FAA Bans American Flights from Iraqi Airspace

By Patrick M Schmidt. Following the announcement of targeted strikes against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) declared that American airlines could no longer transit through Iraqi airspace. This statements comes following other individual airlines rerouting their flights around Iraq. The FAA had previously mandated that American […]

Video: Political Situation Fragile in Iraq

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Many analysts blame months of political instability across Iraq for the current crisis facing the government. The combination of the rise of the Islamic State group, Kurdish opposition and weakening support from Iran […]

US Orders Airstrikes Against ISIS

Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby on Airstrikes in Iraq At approximately 6:45 a.m. EDT, the U.S. military conducted a targeted airstrike against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists. Two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500-pound laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Erbil. ISIL was using this artillery to […]

Afren Operations Suspends Operations at Barda Rash

By John Lee. Afren plc has taken the precautionary step to temporarily suspend operations at the Barda Rash field in light of heightened regional security related issues. Working with its local security advisors, Afren is implementing a phased withdrawal of non-essential field personnel from the Barda Rash field. All other Afren operations in the Kurdistan […]

Genel Energy says Tawke, Taq Taq are Safe

By John Lee. Following recent events in the vicinity of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq ('KRI'), Genel Energy plc has confirmed that the Taq Taq and Tawke fields remain safe and secure. The company says that operations there are unaffected, with combined gross production from both fields averaging c.230,000 bopd this week. It says it […]

Vital Infrastructure Falls to Militants

By Patrick M Schmidt. Despite relative success in stemming the advance of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants, Kurdish security forces faced their first major defeat on Thursday. Sources report that Kurdish security forces have been forced to withdraw and that the vital Mosul Dam now lays under control of the extremists. […]

Turkish Jets Scramble to Assist Kurds

By Patrick M Schmidt. While Kurdish security forces battle Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters on the ground, the Turkish Air Force has begun gathering intelligence on the militants’ movement from the air. Following a meeting between Turkish leadership, as many as eight jets were scrambled from Diyarbakir airbase. The Turkish leadership […]

Mass Exodus from Iraqi Towns and Cities

From Amnesty International. Panic has taken hold in north-western Iraq as tens of thousands of people flee areas where Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) militants are continuing their advance, Amnesty International said. “The situation for Iraqis in the north-west of the country, especially those from the Yezidi and Christian minority communities, is becoming […]

GKP Confirms Operations Safe

By John Lee. Gulf Keystone Petroleum confirmed on Thursday that the Company's operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, including ongoing production and trucking operations at both Shaikan production facilities, remain safe and secure. While there is no immediate threat to any of the Company's operations in the region, the company continues to monitor the […]