BAGHDAD, Sept. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraq's northern oil exports werehalted Thursday after a vital pipeline to Turkey was hit by a bigattack, said an official for oil security in the region.

    "The pipeline with Turkey was shut down," said Ahmed HassanGhafif, head of security for gas and oil pipelines in northernIraq.

    "The Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline targeted this afternoon is about40-inches wide and today's attack can be considered the biggestsince sabotages started a year and a half ago," he added.

    It was reported that the bomb attack happened at 6:30 p.m. (1430GMT) on a road next to the pipeline near the town of Riyadh, 50 kmsouth of Kirkuk. The oil-rich city was engulfed in a thick cloud ofblack smoke.

    The pipeline was attacked on its southern section, where itheads to Iraq's largest oil refinery in Baiji, before cutting backnorth toward Turkey.

    Fire department, National Guard and Iraqi police have beenmaking efforts to prevent the oil from spreading as a first step.It was predicted that 48 to 72 hours were needed to extinguish thefire.

    Kirkuk oil has been pumping 600,000 to 800,000 barrels per dayrecently. Repeated sabotage of Iraq's oil industry has cost thecountry more than a billion US dollars in revenue. Enditem