Rockets strike near Chinese oil site in Iraq, no casualties

Two rockets struck near a Chinese oil facility south of Baghdad without causing any casualties, Iraqi officials said Saturday, the second such attack to target energy interests in the country this month.

An Iraqi army statement said the rockets struck near a “Chinese company” in the Nahrawan area, southeast of Baghdad, without elaborating. Iraqi security officials said the rockets caused minor damage.

China’s ZhenHua, a subsidiary of the arms manufacturer Norinco, has been working in the nearby East Baghdad oil fields since May 2018 under a 25-year development contract with the Oil Ministry. The officials did not say whether this was the company that was targeted.

One security official said the rockets were launched by militia groups as a threat following a failed business proposition. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media.

Iraq depends on revenues from oil exports to fund 90% of its budget.

On April 6, at least three rockets targeted the site of an American oil field service company in the southern oil-rich province of Basra. The rockets were targeting Halliburton in the Burjesia area and caused no damage, according to Iraq’s military.