A gas pipeline to Jordan was bombed on Sunday, state TV reported, in an attack believed to be carried out by militants in the Sinai Peninsula. The blast took place near the North Sinai provincial capital of Arish, which has seen major disturbances since President Mohamed Morsi was deposed on 3 July.
The Egyptian Natural Gas Company (GASCO) coordinated with civil defense, the army, and the police to control and extinguish the fires, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Petroleum. It added that the incident did not result in any fatalities.
The Jordanian government confirmed that gas supplies were cut, according to the Petra news agency.
As of mid-2012, the supply between Egypt and Jordan was interrupted fifteen times since January 2011. Sunday`s bombing is the first reported in almost a year.
According to the Jordanian energy minister, Alaa Batayneh, Egypt`s natural gas exports to Jordan last year were estimated at eighty-seven million cubic feet, whereas in 2010 the amount exported was estimated at two hundred million cubic feet.
The constant disruption forced Jordan to turn to costlier fuels to meet its energy needs, as well as holding talks to become the first country to buy natural gas from Israel.
[This article originally appeared on Mada Masr.]