Channel8 has learned that several illegal refineries have resumed operations in Erbil and failed to comply with the directives issued by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the governor. Work on the new illegal refinery has been underway for more than a month.

The government and Erbil Governor Omed Xoshnaw issued several decisions previously to close the illegal refineries and warehouses and clean up the environment in the city, but on the road to Gwer in Erbil on Monday, an unlicensed fuel warehouse caught fire and plunged black smoke into the air for about two hours.

Fire During Fuel Unloading at Unlicensed Warehouse

Mohammed Soorchi, spokesman for the Erbil Civil Defense Directorate, told a news conference that the fire broke out at 7:45 pm while unloading fuel from a tanker to a warehouse, but no casualties were reported.

Soorchi noted that a report on the lack of an official license for the warehouse will be submitted to the relevant authorities for legal proceedings.

Earlier, Sanan Abdullah, spokesperson for the Environment Protection and Improvement Board of the KRG, told Channel8 that illegal refineries are considered one of the main causes of environmental pollution in the Kurdistan Region, and out of 138 illegal refineries, 85 refineries have been closed.

Government Efforts to Address Illegal Refineries

On February 8, 2021, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani issued Decree No. 483 to shut down illegal refineries. Subsequently, on August 4, 2024, Erbil Governor Omid Khoshnaw announced that, in order to protect the environment of the province, all illegal refineries—totaling 138—would be closed within 10 days.

New Measures to Combat Pollution

In the latest step of the government, Barzani presided over a special meeting convened to examine the issue of air pollution in Erbil and Duhok, held on Sunday. January 12, 2025.

The first point of the decision of the meeting stated that from today, any refinery or factory that operates outside the terms and conditions and causes environmental pollution will face legal action.