An explosion on the Arab Gas Pipeline -a natural gas pipeline originating in Arish in the Sinai Peninsula was built to export Egyptian natural gas to Jordan, and Syria - has caused a power blackout in Syria and initial indications point to an attack, the energy minister told state-run television on Monday.

The Ikhbariya TV channel showed footage of a large fire following the explosion, which officials told state media occurred between the Syrian towns of Ad Dumayr and Adra, northwest of the capital of Damascus.

“Initial indications are this was a terrorist attack,” Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Ghanem told Ikhbariya, adding that the pipeline feeds power stations in the south. He said technical teams were already on the ground.

The electricity minister was later quoted by state news agency SANA as saying that power had gradually started being restored to the country’s provinces. In 2013, much of Syria was hit by a power cut after rebel shelling hit a gas pipeline during the country’s civil war.

peline is a natural gas pipeline in the Middle East. It originates near Arish in the Sinai Peninsula and was built to export Egyptian natural gas to Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, with branch underwater and overland pipelines to and from Israel. It has a total length of 1,200 kilometres (750 mi), constructed at a cost of US$1.2 billion.

With Reuters