Turkey foils explosion at Kurdistan oil pipeline

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) - On Saturday, Turkish security defused a bomb targeting the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) oil pipeline.

Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources released a statement claiming security personnel foiled a bomb intended to explode the oil pipeline in Sirnak Province, in Kurdistan of Turkey. Security measures are in place and soldiers are deployed to secure the area. 

Apparently several bombs were found targeting several different areas of the pipeline.

Additionally, the ministry claims that the pipeline was halted on Feb. 17 due to temporary security measures. Turkey suspects that Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters carried out a bomb attack on the pipeline in the Idil district of Sirnak Province on Feb. 25, but a fire was avoided as the crude flow had already been halted.

The Ministry affirmed that Ankara will repair the pipeline and continue the stream of oil from Kurdistan Region to Turkey.

"Work has been launched to rapidly repair the damage caused to the pipeline and the necessary measures have been taken for the line's security. It is envisaged that supplies will begin again in the shortest time," it said in a statement.

Ankara accuses PKK of attempting to explode the pipeline, but PKK has stated that they are not responsible for sabotaging the Kurdistan-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

Furthermore, on Saturday, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani told reporters in Erbil that, "I cannot confirm that the Kurdistan Region oil pipeline was blown up, and I cannot also say that PKK was behind it."

Reporting by Mewan Dolamari
Editing by Benjamin Kweskin and Karzan Sulaivany