Iraq forced to halt operations at oilfield after renewed anti-government protests
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – An official at an oilfield located south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad said they had to halt operations at the site because of anti-government protests that renewed on Sunday.
An unnamed official at Iraq’s Al Ahdab field, located 180 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, said work and supply from a second production line at the oilfield had stopped after access to the facility was blocked, Bloomberg reported.
The Al Ahdab oilfield was developed by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and produces approximately 70,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd).
Elsewhere, officials at the Badra field said it was at risk of shutting down as well. Badra’s output is about 50,000 bpd. Some of its shareholders include Russian giants Gazprom and Neft.
Clashes resumed between protesters and security forces in Baghdad on Sunday morning, while demonstrations in Basra joined a deadline set by those in Nasiriyah for political forces, stating that unless their demands are met, they would cut off major roads linking their areas with the capital.
Read More: Protests escalate in Baghdad as Basra joins calls to block roads connecting to capital
Local activists told Kurdistan 24 that early on Sunday, riot police attempted to storm Tahrir Square, the central gathering space of demonstrators in Baghdad, but the protesters prevented this and burned several tires.
Following that incident, witnesses reported shootings of live rounds in the al-Tayaran Square, a short distance east of Tahrir, with claims of injuries among protesters.
Amid the continued violence, security forces have killed over 450 protesters and wounded thousands more since demonstrations broke out in October 2019. Unofficial estimates range as high as 600 dead among demonstrators.
Crowds first took to the streets in early October to express long-held grievances about chronically inadequate public services, a low standard of living, and widespread institutional graft among government officials.