BAGHDAD, Oct. 14. (Xinhuanet) -- Most part of the Baghdad region was shut down Friday evening by insurgent saboteurs on the eve of a national referendum on the country's draft constitution, the Iraqi Electricity ministry said Friday.

    Mahmoud al-Saaedi, spokesman of the ministry, said the insurgents attacked powerlines from the capital to the northern towns of Kirkuk and Baiji.

    Repair is underway and power is now slowly returning to some parts of the city, al-Saaedi said.

    The blackout set in shortly after dusk, leaving the city cloaked in darkness except for a few scattered glimmering dots of light. Several hours after, lights began slowly returning to the city where a referendum on the fate of a draft constitution is setto start.

    Iraqi and US. forces have beefed up security measures to prevent insurgent attacks on voters at the poll on Saturday.

    Baghdad as well as other parts of Iraq's residents have got used to frequent power outages but this one hit an exceptionally larger area which included much of the Baghdad governorate. Enditem