lennart
22-06-03, 10:42
Oil pipeline blast in Iraq
US military officials in Iraq says there has been an explosion in an oil pipeline near the town of Hit nearly 140 kilometres (90) miles north-west of Baghdad.
Flames were seen shooting into the sky after the blast.
US officials say there are no reports of American casualties - and there is no word yet on what caused the blast.
But a BBC correspondent in Baghdad says suspicions are likely to focus on sabotage.
There has been a series of attacks on Iraq's oil infrastructure. Ten days ago another pipeline carrying oil from Iraq to Turkey was damaged.
Iraq was due to resume limited oil sales on Sunday from storage tanks in Turkey.
Our correspondent says the oil industry will be at the heart of efforts to rebuild Iraq but sabotage and looting have delayed the resumption of exports.
US military officials in Iraq says there has been an explosion in an oil pipeline near the town of Hit nearly 140 kilometres (90) miles north-west of Baghdad.
Flames were seen shooting into the sky after the blast.
US officials say there are no reports of American casualties - and there is no word yet on what caused the blast.
But a BBC correspondent in Baghdad says suspicions are likely to focus on sabotage.
There has been a series of attacks on Iraq's oil infrastructure. Ten days ago another pipeline carrying oil from Iraq to Turkey was damaged.
Iraq was due to resume limited oil sales on Sunday from storage tanks in Turkey.
Our correspondent says the oil industry will be at the heart of efforts to rebuild Iraq but sabotage and looting have delayed the resumption of exports.