Sabotage halts gas flow on Syria pipeline near Deir ez-Zor

A fire broke out on Monday evening after an explosion on a gas pipeline between the Al-Shoula area and Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria, halting gas flow to power stations. Syrian authorities said the blast was caused by sabotage. The incident affected a pipeline linked to the Al-Jabsah plant, one of the country's main gas processing facilities.

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The official news agency quoted a Syrian Petroleum Company official as saying the fire stopped gas flow from the Al-Jabsah plant to power stations. Authorities did not immediately say who was responsible. The report said the explosion involved a sectional valve on the pipeline, and the fire was brought under control after the disruption was detected.

The attack adds to a pattern of repeated strikes on energy infrastructure in Deir ez-Zor province, which is home to Syria's main oil and gas fields. The area has remained vulnerable to sabotage since the defeat of the Islamic State group in 2019, with remnants of the group regularly accused of carrying out asymmetrical attacks on energy assets. A gas pipeline at the same facility was also struck in August, according to the report.

The disruption matters because Syria's energy system remains under severe strain after years of war and damage to infrastructure. Before the conflict, the country produced about 30 million cubic metres of gas per day for electricity generation, according to the energy minister cited in the report. Production has since fallen to 8.5 million cubic metres a day, while demand is estimated at between 22 million and 25 million cubic metres.

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The latest sabotage comes as the authorities seek to stabilise fuel supplies and attract investment into the gas sector. In June, Damascus signed a contract with ConocoPhillips to develop the country's gas sector, according to the report. That effort is taking place alongside wider reconstruction plans after the 2011-2024 war and the change of власти in 2024, which left the energy network in a fragile state.

What remains unclear is who carried out the sabotage and how long the interruption to gas flow will last. Officials have not given a detailed assessment of the damage or said whether repairs are complete. The key question now is whether the incident will further affect electricity supply in a region already exposed to repeated attacks on critical infrastructure.

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