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CNN Sunday Morning

Explosion Rocks Key Iraqi Oil Pipeline

Aired June 22, 2003 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: We take you back now to our top story that is Iraq, where an explosion rocks a key north south oil pipeline, and it wasn't an accident apparently. An Iraqi oil minister official tells Reuters News Agency it was sabotaged. The blast was near the town of Hit that is about 95 miles west of Baghdad.
For more now, we turn to our Jason Bellini, who's live in Baghdad for us -- Jason.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Iraqi Oil Ministry official is now saying that overnight attack on an oil pipeline attack linking the oil fields of Iraq to between and south was an act of sabotage. People nearby describe the oil fire as like a bolt of lightning when it exploded.

Also in the town of Hit, in an unrelated incident, a U.S. Army Humvee rolled over an explosive device, detonating it. It was most likely a land mine the resulted in two injuries of U.S. soldiers. How severe those are, we do not know at the time at this time.

Now back to this oil industry story, it's a high priority of the oil ministry to get the oil flowing again. And today, they're working to begin the first oil shipment out of Turkey -- out of the base called Kahan, which is where there is now stored Iraqi oil that will be shipped very shortly.

They're also hoping to get oil -- fresh oil being pumped to Kahan but that is being held up by the damage caused earlier this month to the oil pipe linking northern Iraq with Kahan.

So again, they're working very hard and this is another setback today in getting the oil flowing out of Iraq.

Jason Bellini, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired June 22, 2003 - 09:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: We take you back now to our top story that is Iraq, where an explosion rocks a key north south oil pipeline, and it wasn't an accident apparently. An Iraqi oil minister official tells Reuters News Agency it was sabotaged. The blast was near the town of Hit that is about 95 miles west of Baghdad.
For more now, we turn to our Jason Bellini, who's live in Baghdad for us -- Jason.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Iraqi Oil Ministry official is now saying that overnight attack on an oil pipeline attack linking the oil fields of Iraq to between and south was an act of sabotage. People nearby describe the oil fire as like a bolt of lightning when it exploded.

Also in the town of Hit, in an unrelated incident, a U.S. Army Humvee rolled over an explosive device, detonating it. It was most likely a land mine the resulted in two injuries of U.S. soldiers. How severe those are, we do not know at the time at this time.

Now back to this oil industry story, it's a high priority of the oil ministry to get the oil flowing again. And today, they're working to begin the first oil shipment out of Turkey -- out of the base called Kahan, which is where there is now stored Iraqi oil that will be shipped very shortly.

They're also hoping to get oil -- fresh oil being pumped to Kahan but that is being held up by the damage caused earlier this month to the oil pipe linking northern Iraq with Kahan.

So again, they're working very hard and this is another setback today in getting the oil flowing out of Iraq.

Jason Bellini, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com