Hugh Sykes is in Iraq.
Every day on PM this week, Hugh will be reflecting on five years since the Iraq war began, and here on the blog he's going to provide some photos taken there along the way to go with the reports - some of them of the people you hear, others just to give a sense of the place. Here's the first batch. By the way you may enjoy clicking on our new link on the right (under Categories) to see previous Hugh photos:
"Baghdad from 40,000 feet, looking east, on my way there via Kuwait.
Baghdad from an American helicopter, on my way to an 'embed'. The smoke is from the Dora oil refinery.
At ground level, a broken place. The main avenue from the Tigris river to Firdaus Square. Firdaus means 'paradise'.
Baghdad at night. No power. Absolute darkness - apart from the moon, car headlamps and flames at charcoal kebab stalls.
City centre on a curfew day.
Four days after the 'liberation'.
No he wasn't shouting in Arabic.
Baghdad smiles.
Baghdad warmth.
Baghdad family (it was cooler in the street than in their home: no power for the ceiling fan)"