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Nigerian rebels say they attacked Shell pipeline


    ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's main militant group said its fighters sabotaged a Royal Dutch Shell oil pipeline in the southern Niger Delta on Thursday, the latest in a string of attacks against Africa's biggest energy producer.

    The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said in an emailed statement it had attacked the Billie/Krakama pipeline in Rivers state in the Niger Delta.

    The pipeline feeds into pumping stations connected to the Bonny crude terminal, one of Nigeria's main export terminals.

    "Cawthorne Channel 1, 2 and 3 flow stations feeding the Bonny export terminal have been effectively put out of service," the group said. No independent verification of MEND's statement was immediately available.

    On Sunday, MEND claimed responsibility for attacks on three Shell installations, including the Afremo offshore oilfields.

    Shell has said it was investigating reports of attacks against its installations and was carrying out aerial inspections to try and assess any impact on output or the extent of any environmental damage from potential spillage.

    (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://af.reuters.com/ )

    (Reporting by Randy Fabi)