Saboteurs blew up an oil pipeline in southern Iraq early today in the latest attack targeting the country’s crucial oil industry, police and oil officials said.

OIL exports from southern Iraq have been brought to a complete halt following a spate of pipeline attacks launched by insurgents trying to undermine the nation’s interim government.

US military officials and representatives of rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr held talks today aimed at reducing violence in the restive Baghdad slum of Sadr City, a day after clashes there killed 10 people, officials said.