Shafaq News/ Polls opened at seven morning in all the cities of al-Anbar governorate, west of Iraq, amid tight security measures.
Security authorities ramped up military deployment at the main roads leading to the ballot centers throughout the governorate, Shafaq News Agency correspondent to the western governorate reported.
Motorbikes and small vehicles are banned from since early after midnight until Monday morning, in accordance with the instructions of the Joint Operations Command.
All shops, restaurants, and malls are closed. Only pharmacies, food stores, and groceries are allowed to open.
Candidates running for the elections in all the governorate's four constituents are 166, both independent or representing parties. Citizens eligible to vote in the governorate with Sunni majority are 1,011,396.
Iraq on Sunday is set to hold an early election billed as a concession to anti-government protests, but expected to be boycotted by many voters who distrust official promises of reform.
Polls were due to open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. Dozens of election observers deployed by the European Union and the United Nations were set to monitor the vote.
Security was tight, with all airports closed from Saturday evening to dawn on Monday across Iraq, where despite the government’s declaration of victory over the Islamic State group in late 2017, jihadist sleeper cells continue to mount attacks.
The vote was brought forward by six months in response to a popular uprising in the capital Baghdad and southern provinces in late 2019, when tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest endemic corruption, poor services and rising unemployment. They were met with deadly force by security forces firing live ammunition and tear gas. More than 600 people were killed and thousands injured within just a few months.
A total of 3,449 candidates are vying for 329 seats in the parliamentary elections, which will be the sixth held since the fall of Saddam Hussein after the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
More than 250,000 security personnel across the country were tasked with protecting the vote. Army troops, police and anti-terrorism forces fanned out and deployed outside polling stations, some of which were ringed by barbed wire.
The election is the first since the fall of Saddam to proceed without a curfew in place, reflecting the significantly improved security situation in the country following the defeat of the Islamic State group in 2017. Previous votes were marred by fighting and deadly bomb attacks that have plagued the country for decades.
As a security precaution, Iraq has closed its airspace and scrambled its air force from Saturday night until early Monday morning.
The head of Iraq’s electoral commission has said that initial election results will be announced within 24 hours.
