Gunmen in Iraq opened fire on two vehicles belonging to Chinese oil giant Sinopec on Wednesday, wounding two Sudanese guards working for the company, a security source said.
The attack took place in Iraq’s southeastern Maysan province in Al-Majer al-Kabir district.
The two security guards were “wounded in a Kalashnikov attack which targeted two cars belonging to Sinopec”, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Chinese workers were also in the vehicles.
In December, a rocket and gunfire targeted the premises of Chinese oil services company ZPEC in the southern province of Nasiriyah, without causing any casualties or damage, officials said.
Sinopec has operated in the district since 2013. Chinese companies operate in oil fields across Iraq, and Beijing is the main market for Iraqi oil, taking nearly 40% of the country’s crude exports.
Iraq is the second-largest producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and oil accounts for more than 90% of its revenues.
In November, the country exported more than 98 million barrels of crude that brought in more than $7.6 billion, according to the oil ministry.
- AFP with additional editing by George Russell
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