Iraqi oil pipeline blown up again

BBC News | An oil pipeline south of Baghdad has been blown up, wounding at least eight security guards, Iraqi police say. The blast, near the town of Iskandiriya, caused a large fire and disrupted the flow of crude oil to refineries in the south of Iraq.

The pipeline carries fuel south from Baghdad’s Doura oil refinery.

It was the second time in the past year the pipeline had been hit and the latest in a series of attacks on Iraqi oil refineries, blamed on insurgents.

Pumping from the refinery was stopped because of the explosion, and production was likely to be affected, according to an official speaking anonymously.

A police officer, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said “the bombing has caused a huge fire”.

He added that at least 16 firefighting units had been sent to the area to deal with the explosion.

Iraq has the world’s third-largest oil reserves, consisting of more than 115 billion barrels.

But oil pipelines have often been targeted around the country by insurgents or saboteurs.

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