SINGAPORE- Iraq's state oil marketer SOMO resumed Basra crude oil sales via the Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME) on Monday, the exchange said in a statement.

SOMO sold 2 million barrels of Basra Light crude for loading on Nov. 16-17 at 20 cents a barrel above the oil's official selling price, DME said.

Trade sources said China's Unipec won the auction.

The second and third highest bids from the 18 companies that participated in the auction were at premiums of 19 cents and 15 cents, respectively, DME said.

The buyer has the option of sending the cargo to Europe or Asia, the exchange said.

SOMO last sold Basra Light through the DME in January, offering a cargo for March loading. The company then halted sales because it did not have excess oil to offer in the spot market. 

(Reporting by Florence Tan; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Darren Schuettler) ((Florence.Tan@thomsonreuters.com; +65 6870 3497; Reuters Messaging: florence.tan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))