One oil official was wounded in al-Musil, 'Karkouk- Jeihan' will be only operational after insurance

An Iraqi oil official was wounded and his son killed in an armed attack in al-Musil city, while an official in the Iraqi ministry of oil said that Iraq will not open the northern oil pipes which reaches the Turkish coast on the Mediterranean before the line is totally insured.

The director of the distribution department at the northern oil distribution company Muhammad Zebari was wounded in his leg when gunmen attacked his car by weapons and this resulted in the killing of his son. Muhammad Zeibari's brother said that this took place because the terrorists think he collaborates with the Americans adding "They believe that any official or employee is happy when dealing with the Americans."

Meantime, the Iraqi oil minister Ibrahim Baher al-Aloum starts next Wednesday an oil tour covering Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran where he is expected to hold talks on reopening the Iraqi- Saudi oil pipelines and the Iranian offer to exchange crude oil, gas and energy with Iraq.

A high ranking official at the Iraqi oil ministry said that Iraq will not open the northern oil pipeline which reached the Turkish coast on the Mediterranean before the line is totally secure, noting that "technically speaking, the line can be operated now but we have decided to wait until an Iraqi protection force is formed for guarding it."