Iraq puts out fire at northern Khabbaz oil field set ablaze Dec 9 : ministry

Dubai — Iraq has extinguished a fire at two wells in the northern Khabbaz oil field, oil minister Ihsan Ismaael said Dec. 16, after they were set ablaze on Dec. 9 in a terrorist attack using explosive devices.

The two oil wells produced no more than 2,000 b/d, officials said previously.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Khabbaz field, which is located in Kirkuk province.

The targeting of Khabbaz follows a Nov. 29 attack on one of the tanks at the small northern Siniyeh refinery, which temporarily caught fire.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the Siniyeh refinery attack, according to Iraqi media

A resurgent IS has intensified this year attacks on foreign targets and personnel. Iraqi troops defeated IS fighters in the 2014-2017 war, but their resurfacing has alarmed foreign missions in Iraq, which is still reeling from the aftermath of the war.

IS destroyed a number of energy facilities during the 2014-2017 war, some of which are still being rebuilt by the cash-strapped Iraqi government.