Syria gas pipeline sabotaged in Deir ez-Zor attack

An explosion caused by sabotage on a gas pipeline in eastern Syria has halted the flow of gas to power stations. The incident occurred Monday evening in a pipeline between the Al-Shoula area and Deir ez-Zor, causing a fire after a sectional valve exploded, according to the official SANA news agency.

The Syrian Petroleum Company reported that the fire stopped gas flow from the Al-Jabsah plant to electricity-generating stations. While the perpetrators remain unidentified, the Deir ez-Zor province, which contains the nation's primary oil and gas fields, has faced frequent attacks by Islamic State remnants since 2019.

This latest disruption follows a similar sabotage at the same facility on August 18. The energy crisis is compounded by a significant gap between supply and demand; Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir stated that current production has fallen to 8.5 million cubic metres per day, while demand remains between 22 and 25 million cubic metres. This shortage follows the devastation of infrastructure during the 2011-2024 war.