A loud explosion went off in western Baghdad late Friday, followed by gunfights, a Xinhua photographer saw.

The accident caused at least 9 people dead and about 20 injured. Police said the attack was probably caused by a suicide bombing.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear, but plumes of thick black smoke could be seen billowing skyward. Ambulances and police cars wailed while rushing to the site. The blast took place at about 9:30 p.m. (1830 GMT) near the communication tower, known as Saddam Tower named after toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

The tower is located within 200 meters from the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses the Iraqi government and US and British embassies.

The area was familiar with roadside bombing ambushes and rocket attacks on US and Iraqi paramilitary patrols.

Friday's explosion came after US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld paid a brief visit to the American troops stationed in Iraq.

Source: Xinhua