About 5,000 foreign oil workers exit Iraq amid Iran–Israel conflict
Shafaq News/ Thousands of foreign workers employed by international oil companies in Iraq's Basra province have left the country due to escalating regional tensions following US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, a senior oil official told Shafaq News on Sunday.
According to the source, a total of 4,860 foreign employees have departed oil sites in southern Iraq since the strikes—part of a wider conflict triggered by Israel's military campaign and Washington's direct involvement.
'Approximately 1,700 workers from British Petroleum (BP), 1,000 from France's TotalEnergies, and 700 from the US-based Schlumberger have exited their sites,' the official said.
In addition, 560 personnel from Italy's Eni, 500 from Kuwait Energy, and 400 from ExxonMobil have also left their posts in Basra. The source attributed the departures to security concerns stemming from the conflict between Iran and Israel, as well as the heightened risks following the US strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
While Iraq has not been directly targeted, fears are mounting that its strategic energy sector could become collateral in the broader regional fallout. The mass withdrawal of foreign technical staff raises concerns about operational continuity in one of the world's most oil-rich provinces.
The Ministry of Oil has not yet issued an official statement on the departures.
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