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Security

Basra tanker attack marks deepening crisis for Iraq oil sector

Iraq is facing a widening array of security threats and economic consequences from the Iran war.
Iraqi ports director Farhan al-Fartousi (right) conducts an inspection on March 12, 2026, of the site of an Iranian attack on oil tankers the previous night. (Photo credit: General Company for Ports of Iraq)

Rocket attack hits Ajil field

The Islamic State (IS) militant group has destroyed a crucial flow tank at the Ajil oil field near Tikrit, rendering the entire field offline for at least a year.

New brigade to protect Basra oil companies

A new Oil Police brigade has formed to guard foreign oil companies in Basra, partly in response to a rash of tribal and gang-related violence in recent months.

Baiji refinery still threatened

Three days after Iraqi leaders declared the country's largest refinery secure, IS militants who control pockets of territory nearby have the facility in their crosshairs.