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| Iraq election: First poll since US withdrawal | Iraq election: First poll since US withdrawal |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Iraqis are voting in the country's first parliamentary elections since the withdrawal of US troops three years ago. | Iraqis are voting in the country's first parliamentary elections since the withdrawal of US troops three years ago. |
| Polling began at 07:00 local time (04:00 GMT) and close at 19:00. | |
| Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is hoping to win a third term in office amid a growing insurgency in the west of the country. | Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is hoping to win a third term in office amid a growing insurgency in the west of the country. |
| Iraq is experiencing its worst unrest since 2008, with 160 people killed in the last week alone. | Iraq is experiencing its worst unrest since 2008, with 160 people killed in the last week alone. |
| More than 20 million Iraqis are eligible to vote, with almost 50,000 polling stations open across the country. | More than 20 million Iraqis are eligible to vote, with almost 50,000 polling stations open across the country. |
| There is a heavy security presence in the capital, with military helicopters on patrol, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Baghdad. | There is a heavy security presence in the capital, with military helicopters on patrol, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Baghdad. |
| The government has temporarily closed the airport and the main roads in and out of the city in an attempt to reassure voters, our correspondent adds. | The government has temporarily closed the airport and the main roads in and out of the city in an attempt to reassure voters, our correspondent adds. |
| While it is difficult to predict the outcome of the poll, Mr Maliki is still expected to be a pivotal figure in the coalition-building process which will follow the election. | While it is difficult to predict the outcome of the poll, Mr Maliki is still expected to be a pivotal figure in the coalition-building process which will follow the election. |
| His State of Law alliance, a Shia coalition, has largely avoided the fragmentation seen by other political blocs since the last election. | His State of Law alliance, a Shia coalition, has largely avoided the fragmentation seen by other political blocs since the last election. |
| Wave of attacks | Wave of attacks |
| The campaign has so far been a violent one, with 50 people killed on Monday when soldiers, police and overseas citizens cast their votes. | The campaign has so far been a violent one, with 50 people killed on Monday when soldiers, police and overseas citizens cast their votes. |
| One bomb struck a Kurdish political rally in the town Khanaqin, killing 30 people and wounding at least 50 others. | One bomb struck a Kurdish political rally in the town Khanaqin, killing 30 people and wounding at least 50 others. |
| On Friday, at least 31 people were killed as a series of blasts targeted a Shia election rally in Baghdad. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - an al-Qaeda offshoot - said it had carried out the attacks. | On Friday, at least 31 people were killed as a series of blasts targeted a Shia election rally in Baghdad. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - an al-Qaeda offshoot - said it had carried out the attacks. |
| More than 9,000 candidates are competing for 328 parliamentary seats. There will be no voting in parts of Sunni-dominated Anbar province, where security forces still battle Islamist and tribal militants for control of the provincial capital Ramadi and nearby Falluja. | More than 9,000 candidates are competing for 328 parliamentary seats. There will be no voting in parts of Sunni-dominated Anbar province, where security forces still battle Islamist and tribal militants for control of the provincial capital Ramadi and nearby Falluja. |