Member of the Administrative Board of Dakok Organization
The gas storage facility at the Chamchamal Gas Plant exploded, cutting off electricity to all cities of the Kurdistan Region for two days, leaving citizens in extreme discomfort. Meanwhile, the KDP and PUK are exchanging blame.
Ava Media, a channel affiliated with Masrour Barzani, and pages linked to the KDP have launched a broad campaign against the PUK, accusing them of having a hand in the attack on the Komur gas facility infrastructure. In response, the PUK has strongly countered the KDP’s media attacks offensive and has labelled those outlets as “ propaganda media.”
The dispute between the KDP and PUK has intensified following the Chamchamal gas explosion and the Kurdistan Region’s power outage. They are blaming each other and accusing one another of betrayal. The situation has reached the point where Qubad Talabani and the Ministry of Culture, whose minister is from the PUK, have responded to what they call the misleading news from KDP media, asking them to deal professionally with sensitive issues.
While the people of Kurdistan have been without electricity for two days and are living in the worst conditions—using lanterns and lamps for light like in the 1980s and 90s, without hot water for bathing or household chores—the KDP and PUK are consumed with attacking each other, tormenting the public’s psyche and mocking people’s feelings and awareness.
KDP media attack the PUK, saying: “The PUK does not have the ability to protect Komur.” On the other hand, PUK media say: “The electricity you boast about comes from our gas, and we produced it for you. You are nothing without us.” This kind of bitter media exchange has caused public resentment and further deepened the problems between them.
According to follow-ups, the KDP wants to tell the PUK that their military capability is weak and that they cannot protect themselves or the economic infrastructure of the Kurdistan Region. Therefore, the problems between the two sides have deepened, and after failing to form a government, they have moved on to a media war and inflicting psychological harm on the people.
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