ANKARA (AFX) - A pipeline in north eastern Turkey used for importing gas from Iran was in flames late on Saturday following a suspected sabotage attack, local officials said.
The fire broke out around 9:30 pm (1830 GMT) near to the village of Muratlikoy, in the province of Agri, provincial governor Halil Ibrahim Akpinar was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency.
The gas supply was cut off and firefighters were battling to bring the fire under control, Akpinar said. He said sabotage was the likely cause, but did not suggest who the suspected perpetrators might be.
The province is partly populated by Kurds and separatist rebels from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) are active there.
The PKK, which is classified as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, has in the past been accused of sabotaging pipelines.
Turkey has been importing Iranian gas via the pipeline since December from the northwestern Iranian town of Tabriz to Ankara, which was inaugurated in December 2001 even though the deal was frowned upon in the United States, Turkey's long-standing NATO ally and Iran's arch-foe.
Earlier this week Iran, a major oil producer, said it is to export natural gas to Europe via Turkey.
newsdesk@afxnews.com afp/jlw COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2005. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited