Oil companies have begun evacuating staff and suspending operations at some fields in Iraqi Kurdistan as the U.S. begins airstrikes intended to halt the advance of Sunni extremists toward the region’s capital Erbil. London-based Afren and Canada-listed Oryx Petroleum both announced Friday they had suspended parts of their operations in the country. Anglo-Turkish Genel Energy said it was withdrawing some nonessential personnel, following a similar announcement by Chevron Thursday. The security situation in the area bordering Iraqi Kurdistan has deteriorated rapidly this week as the militant group Islamic State pushed into territory held by the Peshmerga, the region’s security force, raising serious concerns about areas previously considered safe. Oryx said it had suspended operations at two sites on its Hawler license near to areas where clashes were recently reported, while production at its Demir Dagh field has also been shut in. Meanwhile, Afren has stopped operations at its Barda […]