An Iraqi oil tanker was evacuated after a mine was discovered attached to its hull, and explosives experts were working to make it safe, Iraq's military said on Friday, Reuters reports.

Iran Press/Middle East: The Liberian flag tanker was in international waters about 52 km off Iraq's coast in the Persian Gulf and supplying another ship with fuel when the device was discovered on Thursday afternoon, the military said in its statement.

"It's a complicated marine bomb with sensors that could cause a sudden explosion," a security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

Iraq's navy had secured the area and the ship has been isolated from other vessels, two other security sources said.

It was not immediately clear how the mine was attached to the tanker, which was being rented by an unidentified client from SOMO, Iraq's state oil marketing organization, the military said.

211