NewsMine — war-on-terror — syria — Viewing Item

Blast hits syrian border pipeline Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.chinapost.com.tw/detail.asp?ID=38756&GRP=A http://www.chinapost.com.tw/detail.asp?ID=38756&GRP=A Blast hits Iraqi oil pipeline on Syrian border 2003/6/24 BAGHDAD, Agencies An explosion hit a stalled Iraq oil pipeline on the Syrian border on Monday and firefighters put out a blaze at a gas pipeline damaged in an earlier blast. "An explosion took place in the oil pipeline near the Syrian border at 1:00 a.m. (2100 GMT Sunday) last night," said an Iraqi Oil Ministry official. He gave no details. The U.S. military said it was checking the report. Washington halted the Syrian pipeline by bombing a pumping station during its invasion of Iraq in April, stopping some 200,000 barrels a day of exports at preferential prices. The U.S. has not announced any intention of reopening the pipeline, and lists Damascus as "a state sponsor of terrorism." The Syrian pipeline is Iraq's second largest cross-border export link after the northern pipeline which runs from the Kirkuk fields to Ceyhan on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Iraq resumed its first oil exports since the war from Ceyhan on Sunday and pumping on the Ceyhan line is expected to restart by mid-July. Witnesses at the damaged gas pipeline in the western desert said Iraqi civil defence workers had used foam to extinguish a fire that had raged since the blast there on Saturday night. Oil Ministry officials said that explosion was the work of saboteurs. The U.S. military has not confirmed this. U.S. officials have said another pipeline explosion and fire that damaged Iraq's main oil export line to Turkey earlier this month was caused by a gas leak. An Oil Ministry official said on Thursday the line was back in working order. The explosions are hampering efforts to revive Iraq's battered oil sector, the main hope for economic recovery. "We have started to assess damage inflicted on the gas pipeline near Hit," said Nabil Lamuza, head of planning and studies at the oil ministry, adding that it would take three to five days to repair the damage. "This is an act of sabotage that will directly hurt the Iraqi people. It will reduce supplies of gas to main power stations," he told Reuters. Lamuza said an oil pipeline that runs parallel to the gas line and links Iraq's northern and southern oilfields was undamaged. Earlier reports said the oil pipeline had been hit. Some Iraqis believe the latest pipeline explosions are the work of people angered by last week's prediction by Israeli Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that an oil pipeline from Iraq to Haifa that has been disused since 1948 will reopen.

2005-syria-focus 7 iraqi leaders believed in syria { April 19 2003 } America would snatch saddam { April 17 2003 } American embassy diplomat at syrian riot { March 9 2004 } Blast hits syrian border pipeline Bush imposes export ban against syria { May 11 2004 } Bush signs measure on syria sanctions { December 13 2003 } Bush threatens syria { April 13 2003 } Bush vetoes syria war plan { April 15 2003 } Cia assessment wmd exaggerated Concentrating forces near syrian border { April 16 2003 } Evidence against syria questioned { April 3 2003 } Hezbollah led protesters paralyzed lebanon { December 2007 } Interior minister supposedly commits suicide { October 12 2005 } Kurds in syria soccer match chant for bush { March 14 2004 } Pelosi visits syria on mideast trip despite protests { March 30 2007 } Report finds no evidence syria hid iraqi arms { April 26 2005 } Rice rove stopped syria war Senate byrd defends syria against sanctions { November 12 2003 } Senate passes sanctions for syria Syria closes terrorist offices { May 3 2003 } Syria could be next { April 13 2003 } Syria gains influence over lebanon { October 22 2004 } Syria ignores threats { April 10 2003 } Time reports saddam stash money syria Uk no attack plan iran syria { April 2 2003 } Us blames syria iraq militants { September 16 2003 } Us blocks syria pipeline { April 15 2003 } Us tells syria cooperate { April 14 2003 } Us turns sights on syria iran { March 29 2003 } White house delays syria sanctions World asks why syria { April 16 2003 } Files Listed: 31

Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security Archives

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information, go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.