The Iraqi Oil Ministry released a statement on Saturday condemning the regional government for export of oil extracted from the country’s northern fields.

The statement was published following reports that the region started exporting oil to international markets through Turkey with one consignment already delivered to the Israeli regime.

Industry reports and ship tracking data showed early on Saturday that the consignment was delivered by the SCF Altai tanker at the port of Ashkelon in the occupied Palestine early on Friday and unloaded later in the day.

It is still not clear if Israel directly purchased the oil from the region.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) reportedly used a pipeline to the Turkish port city of Ceyhan for export to Israel.

Saturday’s statement said the government would take legal action against any company that purchases oil without the central government’s permission.

Baghdad says it has the sole right to export the country’ crude, but the Kurds say they are entitled to market the resources of their own region.

NTJ/HH