Special to WorldTribune.com

ANKARA — Turkey’s energy supplies have not been affected by the war in neighboring Iraq.

Officials said the advance by Al Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq and
the Levant did not suspend the flow of crude oil to Turkey. They said Ankara has
tolerated a three-month suspension of operations of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan
pipeline.

“The latest developments in Iraq related to the energy sector do not
affect Turkey’s crude oil security supply,” Turkish Energy Minister Taner
Yildiz said.

Turkey, despite Baghdad’s opposition, has made the Kurdish region in
northern Iraq a leading source of energy imports. On June 12, the Kurdish
Regional Government captured the energy capital Kirkuk amid ISIL’s
offensive.

  Kirkuk, Kurdish Regional Government, Taner Yildiz, Turkey says oil still flowing in from Iraq despite ISIL offensive