Yemen’s main oil pipeline has been bombed by armed militants, halting the flow of the country’s oil. The attack occurred less than a month after the pipeline had been repaired following a similar attack on 26th December 2013, according to Reuters.
The blast caused a huge fire and forced the closure of the pipeline, stopping the flow of oil to the country’s Ras Isa terminal on the Red Sea.
Yemen relies on crude exports to finance up to 70% of its budget and has suffered frequent bombings of its main pipeline in recent years.
The attacks are perpetrated by militants in order to pressure the government to provide jobs, settle land disputes or free relatives from prison.
This poses a a global concern, particularly for the United States and its Gulf allies, because of Yemen’s strategic position next to oil exporter Saudi Arabia and to main shipping lanes.
Before a spate of attacks that began in 2011, the 270-mile Maarib pipeline carried around 110,000 barrels per day to Ras Isa.
