Iraq puts out more oil fires at northern field, some still burning

Iraq has put out fires at six more oil wells in the Qayyara region, which Iraqi forces recaptured from ISIS militants late last month, but at least three fires are still blazing, the oil ministry said on Tuesday.

Iraq has put out fires at six more oil wells in the Qayyara region, which Iraqi forces recaptured from ISIS militants late last month, but at least three fires are still blazing, the oil ministry said on Tuesday.

The militants sabotaged much of Qayyara’s oil infrastructure before fleeing ahead of the government advance, sending black smoke into the sky for days and oil pouring into main thoroughfares.

“The firefighting consisted of removing explosives from these wells, putting out the fires and preventing crude oil from leaking into the river to prevent pollution,” ministry spokesman Asim Jihad said.

The authorities said last week they had already put out fires from four wells, but a Reuter’s correspondent visiting the city afterwards saw around a dozen separate plumes of smoke and a military officer in the area said on Sunday the fires were still raging.