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Britain hails ’determination’ of Iraqi voters

AFP, London, March 7, 2010  – Britain on Sunday praised the ’determination’ of millions of Iraqis who voted in a general election despite rocket, mortar and bomb attacks that left 38 people dead.
’The determination to vote has been significant,’ said Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
’But the violence and loss of life shows the extent of the challenge faced by the Iraqi people. We condemn all terrorist attacks without reservation.’
’The Iraqi people, voting in their millions, have made clear they want an effective, accountable and inclusive government, and one which acts in truly national — not sectarian — interests,’ he added.
Sunday’s poll was seen as a test of the war-shattered nation’s young democracy.
Long queues formed on the warm spring day outside polling stations in Baghdad, in Sunni towns that mostly boycotted the 2005 parliamentary vote, and elsewhere across the country.
Regional officials for the Independent High Electoral Commission said in initial forecasts that voter turnout was 50 percent or more in all but one of the 12 provinces it was able to provide figures for.
Full election results were not expected until March 18.
Baghdad bore the brunt of Sunday’s violence, with around 70 mortars raining down on mostly Sunni areas as people voted in the second parliamentary ballot since US-led forces ousted dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.


Baghdad bore the brunt of Sunday’s violence, with around 70 mortars raining down on mostly Sunni areas as people voted in the second parliamentary ballot since US-led forces ousted dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

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