Attack disrupts Iraq electricity supply line from Iran

BAGHDAD, Iraq

A bomb attack targeted an electrical supply line extending from Iran to Iraq, an Iraqi security officer said on Wednesday.

“The attack caused the Mirsad-Diyala line to go out of service,” the officer said, requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

There was no information about the transmission capacity of the power line.

Wednesday’s attack came one day after Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced the arrest of a number of people in connection with attacks on power transmission towers in Iraq.

Iraqi authorities blame the Daesh/ISIS terror group for attacks on power transmission attacks in northern and western Iraq.

Iraq produces 19,000-21,000 megawatts of electricity.

For years, Baghdad has imported 1,200 megawatts of electricity from neighboring Iran to feed local electric power plants.

*Bassel Barakat in Ankara contributed to this report