Baghdad water pipeline blown up

The Red Cross says 40% of Iraqis are not connected to a water network

Insurgents have blown up a water pipeline in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, disrupting supplies to hundreds of thousands of people, officials say.

The pipeline supplied Sunni and Shia areas of the city. It is not clear who is behind the attack.

An Iraqi security official said the militants had pretended they were repairing the pipeline, but had instead planted a bomb.

Repairs could take up to 48 hours, the official said.

The explosion created a 45cm (18in) hole in the pipe, which supplies water to homes in the Adhamiyah, Rusafa and Karrada districts of Baghdad, the US military said.

Power lines, oil refineries and water pipes have often been targets for militants in Iraq.

However such attacks have fallen sharply as violence in the country has decreased over the past year.