CAIRO: An explosion rocked a Sinai gas pipeline early Monday morning before it was controlled by Egyptian security forces in the area. An explosive device was positioned under the gas pipeline, which was remotely detonated, eye witnesses said. The eye witnesses mentioned seeing masked men place the device and remotely devenate it by shooting at the bomb. No groups have declared responsibility for the act. Meanwhile, North Sinai Governor Abdel Wahab Mabrouk called the event a “terrorist attack” that aimed at harming Egypt. The pipeline, that runs from Sinai to Jordan, and is approximately 100 kilometers, or 60 miles, from the northern Sinai city of al-Arish. Magdy Tawfiq, head of the National Gas Company (Gasco) told local media that gas flows have been stopped and the fire that followed the explosion is being controlled at present. A number of attacks have rocked the Sinai pipeline in recent months as those responsible have demanded that Egypt stop sending natural gas to Israel. Under current agreements with the Jewish State, Cairo delivers natural gas to the country for far less than the international standard. Al Jazeera has reported that Egypt's loses $714 million as a result of the deal brokered under former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted from power in February following a massive uprising that culminated in his abdication as president on February 11. BM
