Peregraf
Several members of Hashd al-Turkmani, which is part of the Hashdi Shaabi (Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU)), who were arrested on terrorism charges related to an attack on the Khor Mor gas field, have been released by the court after a month and a half of detention.
An informed source told Peregraf, "Their release was under political pressure and is a kind of agreement between the Iraqi government and Hashd al-Shaabi."
According to the decision of the Rassafa court in Baghdad, issued on July 23, 2024, the accused—Mohsin Salman Majid, Ali Jaafar Mustafa Shahbar, Mohammed Hashim Kazim Ibrahim, and Abbas Jassim Mohammed Ali—were released.
The court decided to drop the charges against the accused due to lack of evidence, in accordance with Articles 4 and 2 of the Counter-Terrorism Law No. 13 of 2005. "The court decided to release them in connection with the 2024 targeting of the Khor Mor gas field in Sulaimani".
The court decision
"After the drone attack on the Khor Mor field that killed four people, these four individuals, along with seven others, were arrested based on a thorough investigation. In mid-June this year, all 11 were taken into custody, including two Kurds. The Kurds have not yet been released," said a high-ranking source.
Khor Mor is the largest gas field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The field has been attacked several times over the past two years with missiles and drones. On April 26, 2024, two drones attacked the field, killing four Yemenis.
The attack sparked widespread reactions from both the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi government, with calls for a serious investigation and the prosecution of the perpetrators. The United States strongly condemned the attack on the Khor Mor field, labeling it a "terrorist" act.
"The four main individuals arrested are from Daquq and Duzkhurmatu. Ali Jaafar leads an armed group of 80 to 100 fighters and is currently a member of Hezbollah's Hashd al-Shaabi (Hashd al-Turkmani), serving as the deputy commander of the 63rd Hashd al-Shaabi Brigade," the source from Peregraf said.
"According to reports, an agreement has been reached with Hashd al-Shaabi to dissolve the northern front of Hashd al-Shaabi, which is predominantly Turkmen, in exchange for the release of Ali Jaafar. They have been released," the source said.
The Iraqi Committee of Inquiry has accused Hashd al-Shaabi groups in Daquq and Duzkhurmatu of attacking the Khor Mor field "without superior orders from the Hashd al-Shaabi forces, and allegedly in exchange for money to go elsewhere."
The northern front of Hashd al-Shaabi(Hashd al-Turkmani) consists of three brigades (the 63rd, 52nd, and 16th brigades) and three regiments (the Amrli, Maghawir, and Daquq regiments). The commander of the front, Abu Reza Najjar, holds primary authority in Daquq, Duzkhurmatu, Amrli, Balad, and Taze Khurmatu. "They have the main power and are above the army and police," sources have reported.
"The northern front of Hashd al-Shaabi will be dissolved, and the brigades and regiments will be redistributed to other fronts of Hashd al-Shaabi. Additionally, more roles will be assigned to the army and police in those areas," the source said.
Khor Mor supplies natural gas to power plants in Erbil, Chamchamal, and Bazian, which are the primary sources of electricity generation, as well as for household use. The Khor Mor field is operated by UAE's Dana Gas, which has received a $250 million loan from the US International Development Finance Agency to expand and increase gas production.
Iraq is aiming to rely on Khor Mor gas to reduce its dependency on Iranian gas due to US sanctions. Meanwhile, Turkey, which has strong ties with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), particularly regarding oil and gas matters, is also interested in gas from the Kormor field. This issue was discussed during a meeting between Nechirvan Barzani and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara earlier last year.