Sudanese oil pipeline holed in attack
KHARTOUM, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Sudan's minister of energy and mining, Awad Ahmed al-Jaz, said on Sunday a pipeline used to carry refined oil from Port Sudan to Khartoum had been holed in an attack on Saturday night.
The official Sudan News Agency SUNA quoted the minister as saying the attack took place near Erkowit, about 120 km (75 miles) southwest of Port Sudan, the country's main port. Port Sudan is located about 1,200 km (750 miles) northeast of Khartoum.
Jaz did not give details of the attack but said a two-metre (yard) hole was made in the pipeline.
``The attack caused a leakage and we stopped pumping oil,' he said. Repairs were expected to be completed on Sunday or Monday.
Jaz said the attack would not cause any oil shortage in the main consumption centre, Khartoum.
In September, the 1,610 km (1,000 mile) oil pipeline which carries Sudan's crude oil from the interior to Port Sudan for export was attacked near Atbara in Northern Sudan. The opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) claimed responsibility for that attack.
A leading member of the NDA, the Umma party of former Prime Minister al-Sadeq al-Mahdi, signed an agreement with the government in Djibouti last Friday calling for dialogue to resolve Sudan's numerous problems.
A politician who did not want to be named said Saturday's pipeline attack could have been staged by elements in the NDA opposed to the agreement the Umma party signed with the government.
14:56 11-28-99
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