Fire hits Syria's eastern gas pipeline

Two explosions hit two minor gas pipelines in eastern Syria on Wednesday, residents said. Yet, the official state news agency said a pipeline had caught fire due to either dry weather conditions or a leakage in the line.

State news agency, SANA, quoted an official at the oil ministry saying the fire was probably started due to dry conditions igniting nearby vegetation, or a leak in the line.

"An inquiry has started ... most likely the fire was caused by a fire in the nearby grass or leakage in the line.. which is under construction," SANA reported.

The residents said bomb blasts damaged the pipelines in a heavily guarded area in al-Tayana and Busaira regions east of the provincial capital Deir al-Zor, near the border with Iraq, the scene of large protests against President Bashar al-Assad.

"People are suspecting that the regime is behind the attacks to discredit the democracy cause after months of peaceful demonstrations," Sheikh Nawaf al-Khatib, a prominent tribal leader, said.

"It is very difficult to hit those pipelines with more troops deploying in Deir al-Zor lately."