Sat, 02:28 16 Feb 2008 GMT17

 

Car bomb, gas link blast cut power to north Iraq
11 Feb 2008 16:03:22 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds details, changes dateline from Baiji)

BAGHDAD, Feb 11 (Reuters) - A blast at a gas pipeline feeding a power station on Monday and a car bomb targeting power lines at another station the day before have cut electricity to a quarter of Iraq's roughly 27 million people, officials said.

"A car bomb yesterday near Mosul power station shut down electricity to the north and east of Iraq by cutting the lines," electricity ministry spokesman Aziz Sultan said.

"Today, another explosion stopped gas to Baiji electrical station, which then had to shut down. Between them, the two incidents have cut power to the entire northern region. We hope to repair it in two days," Sultan told Reuters by phone.

The region surrounding the northern city of Mosul and the entire semi-autonomous Kurdistan region had no electricity supply, he said.

The planning ministry estimates Kurdistan and the area around Mosul to account for a quarter of Iraq's population, which is estimated at 27 million although the lack of a census makes this hard to judge.

Iraqi army captain Adnan al-Jubouri said a leak had caused the explosion that struck a gas pipeline from Kirkuk's oilfields to Baiji.

But Sultan said he suspected sabotage by insurgents. (Reporting by Wisam Mohammed; Writing by Tim Cocks; editing by Anthony Barker)
AlertNet news is provided by

Related articles

Breaking stories
Asia Atlantis astronauts wrap up spacewalk

Middle East US meets Iranian official to discuss "terror" funds

AlertNet insight
Americas Climate change and conflicts: Is there a link at all?

Aid agency news feed
Middle East The Iraq Ministry of Migration and International Medical Corps

Blogs
Asia Seven security barriers you might want to know about

Maps
Africa MAP: Global flood locations week ending Feb 14,2008


Country information


Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-02-15T125039Z_01_LON504_RTRIDSP_2_BRITAIN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/LON504.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-02-15T124635Z_01_BAG206_RTRIDSP_2_IRAQ_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/BAG206.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-02-15T124038Z_01_LON503_RTRIDSP_2_BRITAIN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/LON503.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-02-15T123506Z_01_LON501_RTRIDSP_2_BRITAIN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/LON501.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-02-15T123232Z_01_LON501-_RTRIDSP_2_BRITAIN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/LON501..htm

Activist Bianca Jagger speaks to media in Downing Street after delivering a letter to Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in central London February 15, 2008. Jagger and other activists including Former ...



URL: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L11377581.htm

For our full disclaimer and copyright information please visit http://www.alertnet.org