Firefighters battle a natural gas pipeline fire near Damascus throught to have been caused by a terrorist attack. - Screencapture Via WION News

Firefighters battle a natural gas pipeline fire near Damascus throught to have been caused by a terrorist attack.

Screencapture Via WION News

Power outages across Syria are being blamed on an explosion that severed a natural gas pipeline near Damascus Monday morning, local media report.

The 1,200-kilometer Arab Gas Pipeline exports Egyptian natural gas to Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Three power station in southern Syria were forced to shut down after their supply of natural gas was lost.

Syrian officials are blaming the explosion on a terrorist attack. It is reportedly the sixth such attack in recent years.

The 36-inch diameter pipeline has an annual gas discharge of 10.3 billion cubic meters. A drop in pressure at the Deir Ali power plant in Damascus triggered the power outages at other locations.

Fire at the blast site has been brought under control and supply to the power plants has resumed.

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