INTERVIEW-Insurgents cripple Iraq oil sector -inspector

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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/GEO544957.htm

BAGHDAD, April 25 (Reuters) - Insurgents have succeeded in crippling Iraq's energy industry and the government has ignored calls for help in the battle against corruption and smuggling, the oil ministry's inspector general said on Tuesday.

"It has been going on for two or three years now without stopping. Actually it (the rebel campaign) has increased. They have always succeeded in attacking very sensitive sites," Ali al-Alaak told Reuters in an interview.

"Every time we fix the problems because of those attacks, the next day or a few days later they can attack the same site."

Asked if rebels had crippled Iraq's energy industry, he said: "Yes".