Baghdad, Jul 6, (VOI)- A major pipeline carrying crude oil to Doura refinery in Baghdad was blown up just south of the Iraqi capital, leading to a huge fire in the pipeline, the official spokesman for the oil ministry said on Friday.

"Unknown gunmen planted a bomb that went off under the pipeline carrying crude oil from southern Iraq to the Baghdad-based Doura refinery," Aasem Jihad told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

The blast that occurred in Baghdad's southern outskirts of Yousifiyah caused a huge fire in the pipeline, while billows of black smoke rose over the location, the spokesman said.

"Teams were sent from the oil ministry to the location to evaluate the damage and to extinguish the fire," he added.

The spokesman pointed out that the capacity of Doura refinery, built in 1954, was about 110,000 to 130,000 bpd but has decreased by half due to continuing sabotage acts and fluctuation in electricity supply.

Meanwhile, a source from the oil installations protection force blamed Iraqi defense ministry troops for the explosion as the pipeline was placed under their protection. "The defense ministry has not shown due care in protecting Iraqi oil installations and pipelines and oil reservoirs in Yousifiyah have repeatedly came under attack with no reaction from the (defense) ministry," the source, who asked not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

The source added that there was a need to increase and qualify the oil installations protection force so that they can protect all Iraqi installations.