Prime Minister pledges restoration of Baiji refinery, Iraq's Largest, to regional prominence

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Wednesday reiterated his government's commitment to restoring the Baiji Refinery, a massive compound that was devastated during the conflict with ISIS nearly nine years ago.

The Baiji Refinery, Iraq's largest with a processing capacity of 310,000 barrels per day, was subject to damage during ISIS's occupation in 2014. The refinery, symbolic of Iraq's rich oil reserves, was notably occupied by ISIS in May 2014, leading to significant setbacks in the nation's oil industry.

During his recent visit to the Baiji district in Saladin, al-Sudani inaugurated al-Azmarah unit in the al-Somoud refinery and examined the ongoing rehabilitation processes across other sections. According to a statement released by the Prime Minister's media office, al-Sudani led a government delegation to "initiate and oversee numerous strategic and service projects."

Adnan Mohammed Hamoud, director of the Baiji Refinery, told Shafaq News Agency, "al-Sudani has returned the equipment stolen during the war with Daesh (ISIS) and inspected several pioneering projects to restore the refinery to regional prominence."

Following the liberation of Baiji district from ISIS in 2015, the refinery experienced significant equipment losses, with accusations against armed factions involved in the military operations against the group for allegedly looting and subsequently selling the equipment.