Attacks on Saudi oil expose Iraqi PM’s struggle to control armed factions

As black smoke billowed over Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, the repercussions of the drone attack were already reaching across the border into Iraq.The strikes, launched from Iraqi territory, threatened about 4 percent of global oil supplies and helped push Brent crude above $108 a barrel. But they also presented Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi with perhaps the clearest test yet of his pledge to bring armed groups under state control as the US-led coalition is due to make its final withdrawal by September 30.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Iraq seizes drone-launching platform used for targeting Saudi oil pipelinelist 2 of 4Iraq faces sovereignty test as US-led military coalition exit nearslist 3 of 4Saudi Arabia says East-West pipeline hit by drones launched from Iraqlist 4 of 4Former top US diplomat reveals mistakes made after 9/11 attacksend of listWho was behind the strikes?No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks launched last Thursday. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella of pro-Iranian factions including Kataib Hezbollah, has denied involvement, calling the strike “an honour that we do not claim”.Baghdad has confirmed the drones came ...