News / Iraq

PM Abadi's list leading in Iraqi parliamentary elections: Sources

Sunday, 13 May 2018 10:08 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 14 May 2018 3:38 AM ]

An employee of Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission closes a ballot box at a polling station during the parliamentary election in the capital Baghdad, May 12, 2018. (Photo by Reuters)

Informed sources say a predominantly Shia political bloc, led by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, appears to be leading in parliamentary elections.

An election commission source and a security official told Reuters on Sunday that Abadi's Nasr (Victory) coalition was the frontrunner, followed by another Shia bloc, which is headed by cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Iraqis voted on Saturday in the first national elections since the country declared complete victory over the terrorist Daesh group.

The electoral commission of Iraq announced that 44.5 percent of those eligible had cast their ballots in the elections.

Final results are expected on Monday. Over 7,000 candidates contested 329 seats in the parliament that will choose a new president, premier and government in Iraq.

PressTV-Iraqis vote in first election since Daesh collapse

People in Iraq go to polls to elect a new parliament and new prime minister in the first national election since the country declared complete victory over Daesh.

After polls closed, Abadi said in a statement that the Iraqis had been able to vote "freely and safely."

"The provinces liberated from [Daesh] saw the holding of free voting for the first time after the big victory over and defeat of [Daesh]," he added.

The Daesh terror group unleashed a campaign of death and destruction in Iraq in 2014, overrunning vast swathes in lightning attacks. Iraqi army soldiers and allied fighters then launched operations to eliminate the terror outfit and retake lost territory.

Last December, Abadi declared the end of the anti-Daesh campaign in the Arab country. The group’s remnants, though, keep staging sporadic attacks across Iraq.

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