Power outages hurt Iraq

BAGHDAD, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Insurgent attacks and shutoffs from Turkey and Kuwait are forcing major Iraqi cities into blackouts, Iraq's Electricity Ministry says.

Iraq suffered from widespread power outages last summer, but reports showed work steadily increasing capacity and delivery of electricity through the end of the year.

Attacks have been a frequent trouble for the Ministry, which must deal with a lack of fuel for the power plants as well.

Aziz Sultan of the Electricity Ministry told Azzaman an attack on towers and stations have drastically cut power to Baghdad and other cities.

"Pylons and lines damaged in these areas cannot be repaired," Sultan said, because it's not safe enough for workers, long a target of insurgents, to enter the areas needing to be fixed. Sultan called on the United States to provide better security.

And Turkey and Kuwait have stopped its electricity supply with Turkey also halting gas oil, which is used in power plants, Sultan said, and neither country has explained why.