The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity announced on Thursday the targeting of two power transmission towers in Karbala, calling on the competent authorities to take maximum measures to put an end to terrorist attacks.
In a statement published by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the ministry said that an act of sabotage destroyed two transmission towers and led to a power outage in the Karbala governorate.
“The citizens continue to pay the high prices for war, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the heat of the scorching summer season,” it noted, calling on “the competent authorities to take the maximum measures to solve this thorny situation.”
“The ministry has exhausted most of its capabilities and human resources, and will continue to provide everything it has to serve the country,” the statement concluded.
Electricity transmission and distribution towers in separate areas of Iraq have been targeted by acts of sabotage and bombing by terrorist groups, which negatively affected the power transmission.
Hours before the two towers accident, the Ministry of Electricity also announced that seven transformers were damaged in Kirkuk following a terrorist attack.
Iraqi governorates have recently witnessed an unprecedented wave of operations targeting electricity transmission towers, especially those located in remote and uninhabited areas, which prompted the Iraqi Ministry of Interior to forge a contract with a Chinese company to purchase drones in order to protect power lines.
The Joint Operations Command in Iraq announced on Tuesday setting up plans in coordination with the Ministry of Electricity to protect the power towers.
Spokesman Tahsin Al-Khafaji told the Iraqi News Agency that the command was able to arrest a number of those involved and stop many attacks on energy towers through qualitative operations.
