Iraqi government announces election day security plan [View All]

* Govt will impose restrictions on vehicle movement around cities
* Elections would be limited in insurgency-hit provinces

BAGHDAD: The Iraqi government announced on Saturday its election day security plan, declaring a ban on cars by polling centres and admitting the vote would be limited in four provinces troubled by violence.

The Iraqi goverment will declare a three-day holiday for the January 30 elections and ban cars around the polling stations and impose restrictions on vehicle movement around cities, State Minister Wael Abdul Latif told reporters. Latif admitted elections would be limited in four provinces in central Iraq where the insurgency threat is at its greatest.

US and Iraqi officials fear the vote turnout could be low with the general population frightened about attacks by insurgents. The elections will choose a 275-member national parliament, as well as provincial councils.

So far, no voter registration has taken place in the western Al-Anbar province and Iraq’s third largest city Mosul, said Abdul Hussein Hendawi, the head of Iraq’s Independent Electoral Commission. “Anbar - Ramadi (the capital of the province) - will have secure centres, that’s all I can say,” Hendawi said.
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