AFP, Cairo Friday, 8 January 2016

The Egyptian branch of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group on Thursday said it had bombed a pipeline that carries gas to Jordan and to a major industrial zone in north Sinai.

Security sources confirmed that attackers set off explosive devices under the pipeline close to Al-Midan village in the north of the peninsula. They said the blasts did not cause any casualties.

North Sinai is a bastion of the “Sinai Province” group, the Egyptian affiliate of ISIS.

In a message posted on Twitter and signed by “Sinai Province”, the group claimed responsibility for the attack.

“By the name of God, not a drop of gas will reach Jordan until the caliphate gives its permission,” the statement said.

Jordan is among a number of Arab states that have joined the U.S.-led campaign of air strikes against ISIS, which captured swathes of Syria and Iraq, where it has declared a caliphate.

Since the 2011 uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak, there have been dozens of confirmed attacks by the extremists on energy pipelines in the Sinai Peninsula, repeatedly forcing a halt in gas supplies to Jordan, as well as to Israel.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2016/01/08/ISIS-linked-group-claims-attack-on-Sinai-pipeline-to-Jordan.html
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Armed assailants blow off natural gas line in Egypt MA’AN

CAIRO (Ma’an) — Unidentified armed men blew off a natural gas line near the city of al-Arish in Egypt’s northern Sinai region early on Friday, security sources said.

Egyptian security sources said the gas line exploded in the al-Meidan area at the entrance of al-Arish after armed men planted explosive devices.

The same sources added that gas access was cut off to 13,000 homes as well as a power plant in al-Arish. Two cement factories in central Sinai, including one belonging to Egyptian armed forces, were also affected by the cut in gas supplies..

Egyptian natural gas company Gasco immediately ordered that the gas lines’ main valves be shut off in order to reduce damages.

The Sinai Peninsula has witnessed bouts of violence since 2011, with armed militants, mainly affiliated with the group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, regularly attacking infrastructure and clashing with Egyptian armed forces.

The majority of the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in November of 2014, changing its name to Sinai Province. Attacks by the group have left several Egyptian military personnel dead and led Egyptian president to repeatedly declare a state of emergency for the Sinai.

http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=769702