Rafineries attaquées en Irak

Attack prompts Iraqi refinery closure

Iraq's largest oil refinery has been shut down after gunmen attacked the plant in Salaheddin province north of Baghdad and killed two engineers.


The attack took place on Saturday at around 4:30 am (0130 GMT) and attackers damaged the refining unit of the Baiji refinery by planting bombs at the installation, AFP reported.

"Armed men entered the refinery and shot dead two of the engineers," said deputy manager of Baiji refinery Abdul Qader.

"Then they detonated bombs at one unit, the Al-Shamal unit, of the refinery, which represents 25 percent of the refinery's production,” he said.

Firefighters were trying to contain the fire “which erupted as a result of the bombs," Qader said, adding that the refining unit “was badly damaged.”

The huge fire caused the refinery, which is located some 200 km north of Baghdad, to be shut down. No group or individual claimed responsibility for the attack.

Baiji, together two other Iraqi major refineries in Basra and Dora, have the joint capacity of refining about 550,000 barrels of oil per day.

PressTV