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US envoy says Islamic State likely behind Syria pipeline blast

James Jeffrey said the explosion at a major gas pipeline on the outskirts of Damascus was "almost certainly a strike" by the Islamic State.

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Syrian engineers repair a pipeline between the areas of Adra and Al Dumair in the Damascus region on Aug. 24, 2020, after it was reportedly the site of an attack. — Photo by LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images

The apparent attack on a key gas pipeline that led to a massive power outage across Syria was likely the work of the Islamic State (IS), US Envoy for Syria James Jeffrey said Monday.

The explosion was “almost certainly a strike" by IS, Jeffrey told reporters in Geneva, adding that the United States was still looking into the cause. The senior State Department official is in the Swiss city representing the United States at United Nations-facilitated talks aimed at drafting a new constitution for Syria.

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