A fire on a pipeline carrying about a quarter of Iraq's oil exports forced the closure of the link on Monday, Aug 27and halted loading at Turkey's Ceyhan export terminal, security and shipping sources said.

The cause of the fire on the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline in Turkey's Sirnak province near the Iraqi border was not immediately known, but authorities suspected sabotage, security sources said.

The fire was extinguished and workers tried to cool the pipeline, a 600-mile-long double link.

Turkish energy officials in Ankara confirmed oil flows were still suspended and said it was not immediately clear how long repairs would take.

An Iraqi Oil Ministry spokesman said Iraq had halted exports due to the fire, which broke out at 12:35 am, and that it expected Turkey to open the link's second pipe to resume exports, Reuters reported.

The pipeline, which last month exported 300,000 barrels of oil a day, is frequently shut due to sabotage. Most recently, a fire closed it on August 6.