On Saturday, unknown assailants blew up an electric power transmission tower in Kirkuk, northern Iraq, according to a security source.
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A Kirkuk police officer said, preferring not to be named, that “an explosive device planted by unknown persons exploded targeting a tower for transmitting electric power on the outskirts of Al-Dibs district, northwest of the province.”
He explained that “the explosion caused the fall of the tower and the outbreak of a fire within the area because it is agricultural,” stressing that “the civil defense teams put out the fire and started repairing the tower.”
No party has claimed responsibility for the bombing until 13:50 GMT.
In recent weeks, escalating attacks have targeted power plants and transmission towers in different parts of the country, causing frequent power outages.
Iraqis have been protesting for many years against the deterioration of the electricity service, especially during the summer, with temperatures rising to 50 degrees Celsius in some areas.
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Iraq has been suffering from a decades-old electricity shortage crisis as a result of successive wars and the instability of the security situation in the country, as well as rampant corruption.
Iraq produces between 19 and 21 thousand megawatts of electrical energy per day, while the actual need exceeds 30 thousand megawatts, according to officials in the electricity sector.
