Saboteurs blew up part of a key oil pipeline in northern Iraq, which was still ablaze following a big overnight blast, a senior official in the nearby refinery town of Baiji said. Police and witnesses at the scene said a large explosion rocked Baiji Thursday night, while a fire along a section of pipeline was still raging Friday near the refinery town. Thick black smoke billowed high into the sky, as intense heat from the fire prevented engineers from approaching the blaze. US military helicopters were seen hovering over the fire four kilometres from the refinery, while six US military vehicles stopped nearby, with its occupants assessing the situation for 20 minutes before departing. One engineer from the refinery said emergency safety mechanisms were employed to shut down the pipeline and prevent an escalation of the damage.

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