SAMARRA, Iraq, Nov 25 (AFP) - A key pipeline linking Iraq's northern oil fields to a major refinery was attacked Thursday despite the deployment of a 2,000-strong force to protect it, a local oil official said, although the national guard denied any attack had taken place.
"A large blast caused by explosives damaged the pipeline in the Fatha area, 15 kilometres (nine miles) north of Baiji," said refinery official Majid Mannun.
"The blast has stopped the flow of crude to the refinery" which provides power to large swathes of northern and central Iraq, he said.
But a national guard commander in the northern city of Kirkuk said the incident was caused by company employees burning "oil waste".
"We are certain that the fire was not caused by sabotage," said General Anwar Hamad Amin, adding that "the national guards assigned to protect oil infrastructure continue to work seriously."
Another oil company employee also denied any sabotage had taken place.
The reported attack came two days after the Iraqi national guard deployed some 2,000 men to take over responsibility from private security firms and tribal organisations for the protection of the pipeline.
11/25/2004 16:10 GMT - AFP