Iraq/Kurdistan: Thanks to IS, Iraqi Kurdistan Sees Oil Revenues Rise by 60%

Nov 8, 2014 | Voltaire Network
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Since the beginning of the crisis in Iraq four months ago, that is to say since the invasion of a part Iraq, prearranged between the Islamic State and the Kurdistan Regional Government [1], the latter has increased its oil revenues by 60%.

Speaking at the closure of the forum "The Middle East in Transition", organized by the Middle East Research Institute, the Minister of Natural Resources of the Kurdistan Regional Government (Erbil), Ashti Hawrami (pictured), revealed that, despite opposition from the Federal Government of Iraqi (Baghdad), he has managed to sell on the international market all the oil extracted in Kirkuk.

From the outset of the joint offensive by the Islamic State and the Kurdistan Regional Government, the latter has seized the Kirkuk oil fields, thereby illegally increasing the area of its jurisdiction by 40%.