Iraq says four oil well fires extinguished in town captured from IS

Officials did not say how many oil well fires were set by ISIS gangs fleeing the Qayyara region of Iraq.

Crews working on remaining oil well fires

BAGHDAD, Aug 29 (Reuters) – Iraq has put out fires at four oil wells in the oil-producing region of Qayyara which Iraqi forces recaptured from Islamic State last week, the oil ministry said on Monday.

“Work is underway to put out flames in the remaining wells or oil spots that Daesh criminal gangs set ablaze before fleeing the city,” Deputy Oil Minister Fayadh al-Nema said in the statement. Islamic State is also known as Daesh.

He didn’t say how many fires were still ablaze.

The Qayyara region produces heavy sour crude and has a small refinery to process some of the oil.

(Reporting by Saif Hameed, writing by Maher Chmaytelli; editing by Susan Fenton)