Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq Takes Oil Fields from the Kurds, but the Conflict Still Threatens Crude Flows

Oct 17, 2017 | Tom DiChristopher, CNBC
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The Iraqi national army swiftly took control of oil fields in disputed territory on Monday and Tuesday, largely avoiding clashes with Kurdish forces, news reports said. Despite the mostly bloodless transfer, analysts warn that oil supplies in OPEC's second-largest producer are far from secure. The fields came back under federal control during an operation launched by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who sought to reassert Baghdad's authority after the semiautonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region held an independence referendum three weeks ago.