Workers at Iraq's largest refinery complex in the northern town of Baiji, where a fire is raging, sparked allegedly by loyalists of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein
Explosions on Gas Pipeline in N. Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two explosions tore through a gas pipeline in northern Iraq (news - web sites), a U.S. military spokesman said, adding that it did not appear to be sabotage.
The explosions Thursday night in the Makhoul region, about 150 miles north of Baghdad, appeared to be similar to earlier accidents on the pipeline, said Capt. John Morgan of the V Army Corps.
"It doesn't appear to be anything different than previous explosions in that area," Morgan said.
U.S. Army and Iraqi engineers were inspecting and repairing the ruptures Friday, he added.
The U.S. account contradicted a report from the Iranian-financed Al Aalam television station, which quoted witnesses as saying they saw fires erupting on an oil pipeline from two bombs.
Al Aalam said the explosions were a deliberate attack designed to thwart Iraq's first oil export deal since the end of the war to oust Saddam Hussein two months ago.
The explosions came a day after Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization announced a tender for 9.5 million barrels awarded to U.S. and European refineries for export during the second half of June.