Fatah Accuses Hamas of Seeking to Seize West Bank

A picture circulated on social media of an explosion in a carpentry shop that exposed Hamas tunnels in Ramallah. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A picture circulated on social media of an explosion in a carpentry shop that exposed Hamas tunnels in Ramallah. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Fatah Accuses Hamas of Seeking to Seize West Bank

A picture circulated on social media of an explosion in a carpentry shop that exposed Hamas tunnels in Ramallah. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A picture circulated on social media of an explosion in a carpentry shop that exposed Hamas tunnels in Ramallah. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Fatah accused Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, of trying to control the West Bank, after seizing weapons and explosives in tunnels running under Ramallah.

The seized weapons were a part of a plot by Hamas to undermine the Palestinian Authority, security and order, charged Fatah.

It made the allegations days after an accidental explosion went off at a carpentry shop in Ramallah’s Beitunia, which in turn led to the discovery of tunnels running under it.

In the first official accusation, Fatah said Hamas is pursuing terrorism to seize the West Bank, adding that “the Beitunia tunnels, stockpiled with weapons and explosives, are a vivid example of that.”

Media leaks said the weapons were intended to be used in operations targeting the symbols of the Palestinian Authority and its security headquarters.

Individuals affiliated with Hamas were arrested and put under investigation.

Prior to Fatah’s accusation, there was no official comment from the Palestinian Authority about the explosion.

For its part, Hamas denied its involvement in the alleged plot.

Fatah made its accusations on the 15th anniversary of Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip.

According to Fatah, Hamas’ plots do not end with separating the Gaza Strip from the homeland, but they extend to controlling the West Bank.

Fatah’s strong language with Hamas confirms that it is moving forward in restoring the Gaza Strip to Palestinian national legitimacy.

In 2007, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip by armed force after fighting against rivals that killed hundreds of Palestinians.

All mediation attempts to mend the rift have failed.



Drone Attack Halts Oil Output at Sarsang Field in Iraqi Kurdistan

An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)
An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)
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Drone Attack Halts Oil Output at Sarsang Field in Iraqi Kurdistan

An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)
An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)

A drone attack halted production at the Sarsang oilfield in Iraq’s Kurdistan region on Tuesday only hours before its US operator signed a deal to develop another field.

The Sarsang field is operated by HKN Energy, a privately held US oil and gas company active in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and owned by Hillwood Energy, part of the Hillwood group founded by Ross Perot Jr.

Two hours after the morning attack, HKN Vice President Matthew Zais was in Baghdad with Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani to sign a preliminary agreement to develop the Himreen oilfield in northern Iraq, the oil ministry said, Reuters reported.

The signing ceremony was also attended by US Ambassador Steven Fagin, whose embassy condemned the drone attacks on oil infrastructure in the Kurdistan region and urged the Iraqi government to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.

Washington said such attacks undermine Iraq’s sovereignty and efforts to attract foreign investment.

Production at the Sarsang field was halted as a precautionary measure after an explosion, two engineers told Reuters.

Kurdistan regional authorities confirmed that the blast was from a drone attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Iraqi Kurdistan security sources said that initial investigations suggested that the drone came from areas under the control of Iran-backed militias.

Heavy plumes of smoke were seen rising from the Sarsang field in the Dohuk region of northern Iraq, said one oil engineer at the field.

Field operator HKN said that the halt to production was to allow firefighters to extinguish the fire, later adding that emergency response teams contained the damage.

There were no casualties, Iraqi Kurdistan's ministry of natural resources and HKN said.

The incident is under investigation and a full assessment of the damage has been initiated, the company said without providing further detail on the cause of the explosion.

On Monday two drones fell on the Khurmala oilfield near Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, damaging the water pipes at the field.