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A policeman marks his ballot in a polling station in Baghdad - Source: Reuters -
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Gunmen killed three Iraqi candidates in separate incidents on
Friday, two days before Iraq holds provincial polls that will test
the war-weary country's fragile democracy.
Hazem Salem Ahmed, a Sunni Arab candidate from the National Unity
List, was shot outside his home in the volatile northern city of
Mosul, where minority Kurds and Sunnis are facing off and where al
Qaeda and other insurgents have made a last stand.
In Baghdad's Amiriya district, gunmen killed candidate Omar Faruq
al-Ani, a member of the Iraqi Islamic Party, near his home after a
campaign rally.
Candidate Abbas Farhan from the National Movement of Reform and
Development was gunned down in a village near the town of Mandili
in Diyala Province, northeast of Baghdad, near the Iranian border,
also after a campaign rally.
The rash of shootings brought to at least five the number of
candidates slain before the polls. The election will select local
leaders in 14 out of 18 provinces and could alter Iraq's delicate
balance of power.
Sunni Arabs, a minority disempowered after the US-led invasion
toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, are likely to gain power in some
areas after boycotting elections in 2005.
But they are also competing amongst themselves in western Iraq as
upstart groups, many associated with a neighbourhood guard movement
that stood up to Islamist al Qaeda, challenge more established
parties.
Shi'ite parties, including those backed by Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki, are competing across the largely Shi'ite south and other
areas.
Less violent
The lead-up to the polls has generally been less violent than some
US and Iraqi officials had feared.
US military spokesman Brigadier-General David Perkins said there
were just nine attacks on Thursday, when soldiers, displaced people
and prisoners voted in early polls, compared to 92 attacks daily in
January 2005 when Iraqis last voted.
"There are obviously people, al Qaeda, other terrorists, special
groups, criminals, who see the progress of democracy as a threat to
them. They want an Iraq that is ruled by fear," Perkins said.
"So we are very focused on making sure they cannot disrupt the
democratic process here in Iraq."
Security will be tight for the polls, with a curfew and a vehicle
ban intended to discourage car bomb attacks.
Iraqi security forces are taking the lead and US forces, preparing
to withdraw by the end of 2011, are standing by to provide air
support if needed.
As violence drops sharply across Iraq, candidates have embraced a
colourful and vocal campaign, plastering posters across the
country, holding festive rallies in parks and floating balloons
carrying their names.
There have been hiccups. Four candidates from a list backed by
followers of anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr were
arrested on Thursday.
A government spokesman said the men were held after a fracas at a
checkpoint near northern Baghdad's Shula neighbourhood. The
candidates, independents supported by Sadr followers, said the
arrests took place at a campaign rally.
"The four came and started a fight at a checkpoint, abusing the
soldiers verbally and then beat one of them. After that they were
arrested," said Baghdad security spokesman Major-General Qassim
Moussawi. "It is temporary. It was just a quarrel."
Mazen al-Saadi, head of the Sadr office in Shula, said the four
were arrested along with dozens of followers while staging a
campaign rally in the area.
Sadr's followers have been on the back foot heading into Saturday's
vote after a government crackdown on their Mehdi Army militia last
year.
But they are hoping to claim a greater share of local power in the
capital after largely skipping the last provincial elections in
January 2005.
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