Algeria Italy Gas Pipeline Exploded In Tunisia, No Damage Reported

Tunisia Ministry of Interior has announced on Tuesday that a pipeline that delivers 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year from Algeria to Italy, via Tunisia, was hit by two explosions, yet no human or material damage was reported.

A statement released by the ministry reads that the blast occurred on Monday evening, in the village of Bouachira, in the province of Zeghouan, northern the country.

The minister further added that “investigations are underway to track down and arrest the perpetuators of this criminal act.”

The source said “this act of sabotage was likely an attempt to destroy this national facility.”

On another side, the German DPA news agency has quoted a well informed source as saying that “unknown people attempted to blow up the pipeline with remote control bombs.”

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Italian oil company Eni told Reuters news agency that “Eni confirms gas flows as normal.”

Reuters has further quoted an official in Algeria’s energy sector, who did not want to be identified, as saying that “The pipeline is functioning as normal and we have not been notified of any incident.”

 Algeria has provided natural gas to Italy since 1983 through the 775 km Transmed pipeline.