Brent crude hit a nine-month high of more than $115 a barrel on Thursday as the United States said it would send up to 300 military advisers to Iraq, raising concerns about the escalating conflict.
Government forces continued to battle militants for control of Iraq’s biggest refinery as US President Barack Obama said the United States will send up to 300 military advisers to Iraq to combat the extremist insurgency.
The Baiji refinery near Tikrit, 200 km (130 miles) north of the Iraqi capital, remained under siege as troops loyal to the government held off insurgents from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and its allies who stormed the perimeter, threatening national energy supplies.
Brent rose 80 cents to $115.06 a barrel to settle at its highest since Sept 6. It had reached a high of $115.71 earlier in the session.
ruptions in Iraq.
