Pipeline blast cut's Iraq's southern oil exports

Two explosions damaged oil pipelines in southern Iraq, cutting oil exports from the region by half.

The Iraqi South Oil Company did not specify where and when the explosions took place.

The company blamed loyalists of former President Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida elements for the attacks.

Iraq exports 1.65 million barrels per day from the south and another 200,000 barrels per day from the north through Turkey.

Coalition officials fear that insurgents will step up attacks on infrastructure targets in the run-up to the June 30 transfer of sovereignty to undermine public confidence both in the US occupation authority and the new regime.

Iraq’s oil pipelines are frequently attacked.

In May, a main southern export pipeline was set ablaze in the Faw peninsula, stopping the flow of crude oil through one of the lines feeding the Basra oil terminal, a key export point.

That attack forced Iraq to reduce exports to 1.1 million barrels a day from the south at a time when oil markets are highly concerned about tight supplies.