Sabotage Fails On Egypt-Jordan Gas Line

Unknown attackers attempted on Sunday to blow up an Egyptian gas pipeline to Jordan, but the explosives failed to detonate, a security official was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse.

Six armed men stormed the gas terminal in the northern Sinai town of Al Sabeel at dawn on Sunday and placed explosive devices there, the official said.

“They failed to detonate the bombs and fled the scene. Even the security guard was missing when police arrived,” he said, adding police officers managed to remove the explosives, according to AFP.

Last month, attackers used explosives against the pipeline in Al Arish, resulting in a complete suspension of the supply of natural gas from Egypt, which the Kingdom relies on for 80 per cent of its electricity generation needs.

After the explosion, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources switched power generation stations to diesel and heavy oil to continue electricity generation.

Under a deal inked in 2004, Egypt provides some 2.4 billion cubic metres of natural gas at preferential prices a year for electricity generation.

The gas supplies from Egypt resumed last week, ending a nearly five-week disruption in the country’s main source of electricity generation.