Why Islamic State striking Iraqi oil and infrastructure in fresh attacks?

Remnants of ISIS terrorist group blasted oil well number 105 in Bai Hassan oilfield near Al-Dibis town in northwestern Kirkuk, Iraq media reported. Although the explosion did not impact oil production and oil keeps pumping out of the rig, the coincidence of the attack with the recent Iraqi unrest brings it in the center of attention.

Attacks on oil wells in Kirkuk by ISIS terrorists are not new. In December last year, two oil wells in a Khabaz oilfield, 20 kilometers from western Kirkuk, were attacked by the group.

But coincidence of this attack with others including a rocket strike on Erbil airport, Ein Al-Assad military base hosting American troops, and a huge blast in Baghdad raises a question: What does the terrorist group seek behind the operation? What motivations do the behind-the-scenes actors have behind arranging such countersecurity measures?

Since its emergence in Iraq and Syria, the ISIS adopted a clear strategy: spreading fear and terrifying the people as much as possible. The group utilized violence in its most brazen form and created promotional videos as part of its propaganda campaign.

However, after the obliteration of the self-proclaimed caliphate of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the conversion of the terrorist group to underground activities, the method of activity and the demonstration of their power have changed significantly. In the new policy, ISIS put on the agenda attacks on vital economic and security sites. To announce its return, the group seeks to attack energy and security sites, and even the places where the people make living, in a bid to make broad reflections and grab the attention. This falls under the strategy to send a “we are back” message.

So far, ISIS burned farming lands of people, attacked check points, and recently attacked oilfields as Iraq’s key source of income. All these actions have two goals: first, telling its supporters that the group still has power to strike and second telling its enemies it is ready to carry out rejuvenated terrorist attacks.

Although in such terrorist attacks, the ISIS role takes the most concentration, the fact is that behind such actions, the hands of foreign actors with various motivations are observable. Here a question presents itself: Which players can take advantage of crisis and insecurity caused by ISIS at present and in the future? Or to ask a more precise question: Which actors are directing ISIS threats and attacks for meddling in the Iraqi affairs and staying militarily in the Arab country?

When we seek to find such actors, the Western countries led by the US along with some Arab allies raise “it’s us” hands. There is ample evidence that these actors played a key role in establishing and strengthening the ISIS, and in the current situation, they are using this group as a pretext and justification to advance their goals. The most important goal of the Western countries is to find the necessary excuse for the occupation to continue in Iraq. In the past two years, they based their argument for staying in Iraq on the need to save Iraq’s security and counter ISIS threats.

Under the cover of pushing against the Iranian influence in Iraq, Saudi Arabia is supporting the history’s most barbarous terrorist organization, too. Its backing to the organization helps give the Americans the justification to stay.

All these reveal a dangerous truth: the US and Saudi Arabia have embarked on the key policy of fueling the crisis via ISIS to keep occupation and influence going in Iraq

Source: Abna 24