IRAQ: A large swarm destroyed twenty out of sixty fuel tankers in an Iraqi Oil Ministry convoy built to protect tanker drivers against threatened attacks. These threats, some attributed to Ansar al-Sunna, caused a ten day walk-out of fearful tanker drivers. Operations were resumed when 40% of the refinery's tanker drivers reported back to work -- a number that is likely to decrease after this attack. A second planned convoy of sixty tankers was held near the recently re-openned refinery in Beiji to avoid additional loses. The Islamic Army of Iraq took credit for initiating the swarm.
Snapshot of the impact: Lines for gasoline are reportedly up to 2 miles long despite a recent tripling of prices. Violence (assaults, random shootings, and tire burnings) have forced private gas stations in Basra to close, leaving only government stations in operation. The delegitimization effort continues.
UPDATE: Gasoline demand is up 30% in Baghdad due to particularly bad power shortages (detailed here) -- people need the gasoline for their generators.
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