Huge blasts as Baghdad plunged into darkness

Tracer fire, explosives and burning buildings lit up an otherwise blacked-out Baghdad early today as a new round of explosions in the centre of the city sent huge plumes of smoke into the sky.

All of Baghdad was dark, with power out for the first time in the capital since the American-led bombardments began two weeks ago.

The electricity went down across the city at about 8pm local time yesterday as coalition forces launched an attack at Saddam International Airport.

Anti-aircraft fire could be heard near the airport, tracer rounds raced through the sky and artillery shells exploded in the air as aircraft roared overhead.

In Washington, Gen Richard Myers, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, declared that troops had reached Baghdad’s outskirts.

Huge blasts shook the southern parts of the city in the evening, persisting for nearly 15 minutes before the power went out.

Explosions were heard about an hour later in the city centre, and then again after 2am local time. Most of the blasts appeared to be on the outskirts of the city. Al-Jazeera television reported that “a number” of presidential palaces were hit.

The black-out threatened to disrupt water supplies and the city’s sewage system, which could mean widespread disease at a time when temperatures are rising.

It was unclear why the power was cut. Myers said the US military did not target the city’s power grid.

Amid the explosions, Iraq television aired footage of a relaxed and smiling Saddam Hussein meeting with more than a dozen senior government and Baath Party officials, including Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan.

“We would have liked to protect the Iraqi people from evil,” a TV announcer reported quoted Saddam as saying, “but the nation and the people are facing danger and we must fight and be steadfast until we defeat the enemy and achieve victory.

“We must choose the means and methods that tear off the ranks of the enemy and give him no chance to take his breath.”

It was not possible to verify when the footage was taken.