Iraq extinguishes burning oil wells

BAGHDAD, March 29, 2017 – All oil well fires across the Qayyarah field in Northern Iraq have been extinguished, the Ministry of Oil announced on Wednesday.

The extinguishing of well 42 marked an end to the months-long ordeal brought on by retreating Islamic State militants. The fires across the field, located in Nineveh Province, were first spotted in May.

In a statement on the ministry website, Minister of Oil Jabar Al Luaibi expressed his gratitude to all parties involved in combatting the fires, signalling a readiness on the part of the ministry to fast-track the “rehabilitation and development” of the Qayyarah oilfield.

Al Luaibi said that 34 of the field’s 50 wells had been sabotaged. Eighteen of those 34 wells had been set ablaze.

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