Daijiworld Media Network - Baghdad

Baghdad, Nov 9: A drone attack on the Khor Mor gasfield in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region triggered a fire and disrupted electricity supplies to more than 70 per cent of the region, Iraqi and Kurdish officials said.

The attack took place on Sunday night, disrupting the supply of natural gas to several power plants and knocking an estimated 2,500 to 2,800 megawatts of electricity generation off the grid.

The identity of those responsible for the attack remains unclear. It is also not known whether the incident was linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Footage verified by Al Jazeera's fact-checking agency Sanad showed smoke and flames rising from the vicinity of the gasfield in Sulaimaniyah governorate.

Omid Ahmed, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Electricity, said the attack had suspended gas supplies to power plants in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Bazian, Chamchamal and Duhok, according to the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).

He said the ministry would prioritise electricity supply to essential facilities, including hospitals and water treatment plants, by operating hydroelectric power stations and other plants capable of running on alternative fuels.

Al Jazeera correspondent Peter Smith, reporting from Baghdad, quoted security sources as saying that an explosive-laden drone had struck the Khor Mor gas storage facility, reducing the regional power grid's capacity by 70 to 80 per cent.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said an initial assessment indicated that there were no casualties in the attack, INA reported.

He also ordered the formation of a joint investigative committee involving the relevant authorities in the Kurdistan region to determine the circumstances surrounding the strike.

The attack comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East. The same gasfield was targeted in a drone strike in November last year, but no group claimed responsibility for that incident.