Only a bang, now blazing flames in the sky to the north of the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula is a pipeline exploded. The cable supplied Israel and Jordan with gas. The Egyptian state television reported an attack. Cairo - In the north of the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula is a gas pipeline exploded. A huge fire blazed in the vicinity of the Gaza Strip and Egyptian media and witnesses said.
The state television said there had been an attack by terrorists. "Saboteurs have the unstable security situation taken advantage of," it said. Details were not disclosed. No one was injured. The situation is under control. The explosion occurred at a gas compressor station near the provincial capital of el-Arish, only several hundred meters away from an airport, witnesses said.
From the station pipelines lead to Jordan and Israel. El-Arish is situated about 70 kilometers from the Gaza Strip. It is not clear yet which portion of the pipeline is affected: the news agency reported, citing Egyptian security circles, the target of the attack, the management was to Jordan.
The supply to Israel was interrupted, however, as a precaution. On the Israeli side stated that it was not yet known whether the explosion of concern to the line to Israel. Also, there is still no reliable information on what caused the explosion. The export gas to Israel is about the company East Mediterranean Gas Company (EMG), is involved in the Hussein Salem.
Salem is a close confidant of President Hosni Mubarak. According to the U.S. group site that monitors the terrorist network al-Qaeda and Islamist websites, some groups have called on insurgents to attack the pipeline to Israel. Egypt supplying Israel with natural gas since early 2008. In the population there because of the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territories great resistance against the gas deal with Israel.
In addition, the Bedouin clans had already some time ago, threatened to destroy the pipeline to force the release of members from state prisons. Last summer, according to media reports, there were already a smaller attack on the pipeline, but which did no great harm. At that time, Bedouins were suspected behind the attack.
The state television said there had been an attack by terrorists. "Saboteurs have the unstable security situation taken advantage of," it said. Details were not disclosed. No one was injured. The situation is under control. The explosion occurred at a gas compressor station near the provincial capital of el-Arish, only several hundred meters away from an airport, witnesses said.
From the station pipelines lead to Jordan and Israel. El-Arish is situated about 70 kilometers from the Gaza Strip. It is not clear yet which portion of the pipeline is affected: the news agency reported, citing Egyptian security circles, the target of the attack, the management was to Jordan.
The supply to Israel was interrupted, however, as a precaution. On the Israeli side stated that it was not yet known whether the explosion of concern to the line to Israel. Also, there is still no reliable information on what caused the explosion. The export gas to Israel is about the company East Mediterranean Gas Company (EMG), is involved in the Hussein Salem.
Salem is a close confidant of President Hosni Mubarak. According to the U.S. group site that monitors the terrorist network al-Qaeda and Islamist websites, some groups have called on insurgents to attack the pipeline to Israel. Egypt supplying Israel with natural gas since early 2008. In the population there because of the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territories great resistance against the gas deal with Israel.
In addition, the Bedouin clans had already some time ago, threatened to destroy the pipeline to force the release of members from state prisons. Last summer, according to media reports, there were already a smaller attack on the pipeline, but which did no great harm. At that time, Bedouins were suspected behind the attack.
- Egypt crisis: Sinai explosion blamed on gas leak - Telegraph.co.uk (05/02/2011)
- Report: Saboteurs blow up Egypt-Israel gas pipeline in northern Sinai - Ha'aretz (05/02/2011)
- Israel agrees to some Egyptian troops in Sinai (31/01/2011)
- Israel Allows Egyptian Army in Sinai for Riot Control (31/01/2011)
- Egyptian troops in Sinai for the first time in 30 years (31/01/2011)
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