BAGHDAD, July 16 — Iraq suspended oil loading operations at its southern Basra Oil Terminal on Thursday after an unidentified drone crashed near an oil tanker within Iraqi territorial waters, security and oil officials said.
A security source in the province of Basra told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that an unidentified drone crashed near a Liberian-flagged oil tanker anchored at the Basra Oil Terminal without exploding or causing any casualties.
Security authorities immediately initiated an investigation to identify those responsible for the attack, the source said. An Iraqi oil source told Xinhua that oil pumping was temporarily halted and tankers were moved away from the loading zone as a precautionary measure after the unexploded drone crashed.
The source added that the port is currently awaiting directives from the relevant authorities before resuming oil exports to global markets.
On Wednesday, the General Company for Ports of Iraq said in a statement that a drone had crashed in the vicinity of al-Faw Grand Port in southern Basra, causing no casualties or damage. Port operations were not affected, the statement said. (Namibia Daily News /Xinhua)
