The key facts

  • Iraq's Oil Police created an 'anti-smuggling and anti-theft force' in the southern region under the direct command of General Hamid al-Husseini
  • According to al-Husseini, violations on oil pipelines dropped by 90% after the measures taken
  • The Prime Minister ordered the formation of a commission to investigate smuggling reports in the Jurf al-Nasr area; the governor of Babil resigned

New unit and reinforced oilfield security

Iraq has created a specialized force structure to combat oil smuggling and theft, as well as to protect the pipeline network. Lieutenant General Hamid al-Husseini, director of Iraq's Oil Police, announced the measures on Friday. According to him, the violations concern not only crude oil pipelines but also the country's broader pipeline network.

The south of the country: tapping attempts and new forces

Al-Husseini said that attempts at illegal taps into pipelines in the south, in Basra province, had recently been detected — using modern sensors and monitoring of old valves. In the southern region, under his direct command, a new 'anti-smuggling and anti-theft force' has been created, which will patrol vast desert areas to protect pipelines. In addition, he said that security forces thwarted three attempts to install illegal valves for oil theft at the Subba oilfield in Dhi Qar province.

Guarded facilities and the claimed result

Commandos have been transferred under the direct subordination of unit commanders as mobile support groups for major oilfields. The measures cover the North and South Rumaila, Subba, Gharraf and Al-Ahdab oilfields. According to al-Husseini, violations related to oil pipelines dropped by 90% after the Oil Police's measures against smuggling and theft. Additionally, closed zones are being introduced and surveillance of the pipeline network is being strengthened.

Investigation in Babil and the governor's resignation

The announcement of the new unit coincided with the government's investigation into reports of petroleum product smuggling in the Jurf al-Nasr area in the central province of Babil. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered the formation of a high-level commission to conduct a comprehensive investigation into reports of smuggling operations in the area. The decision followed publications by local media, including Shafaq News, citing a 19-page technical intelligence report. According to these publications, the report expresses suspicions that oil has been smuggled from Jurf al-Nasr since 2021: pipelines were allegedly breached, and tankers and facilities were used for the illegal storage and transportation of oil.

The governor's position and the commission's start of work

The governor of Babil, Ali Turki al-Jamali, denied the smuggling accusations on Tuesday, saying that the facility in question was an old filling station used to supply equipment of the 'Popular Mobilization Forces' and the federal police. On Thursday, a day after the investigative commission was formed, he resigned without giving reasons. According to the Iraqi agency INA, the government commission arrived in Jurf al-Nasr on Friday to begin its work.