1 May 2014

The Election Commission director here in Anbar, Khalid Rijab, announced this afternoon that the voting percentage in the governorate was 51%, not including Anbar citizens who cast their votes outside Iraq or the members of the security forces. When these votes are taken into account the overall percentage may be slightly higher.

The Commission has since this morning received at least 7 objections regarding the polling from representatives of the various entities and parties taking part in the elections.

The ballot boxes were collected and dispatched to Baghdad. Some doubts have been expressed in the capital with regard to the manner in which the ballots were transported from the governorate to the capital where the ballots are to be re-counted. This is the first time that the ballots have been sent to Baghdad, with the Commission explaining that the step has been taken to avoid unauthorized tampering, while some political blocs are claiming that the method would lead to fraud.

Some observer missions have indicated that the coalition led by the former Anbar governor, Qassem Al-Fahdawi, the Iraqi Unity Coalition led by the Defense Minister , and the Al-Muttahidoun bloc are leading in the balloting, with the other blocs receiving their shares of the remaining ballots.

On the security front, clashes have resumed in Ramadi and are still continuing, especially in the city's southern sector.

In Fallujah, a medical source has announced that 10 people have been wounded as a result of the indiscriminate shelling that had continued until midday today (Thursday).

In Al-Garma, a number of mortar shells have struck various parts of the town, wounding at least 4 people.

The overall situation in Ramadi is still being plagued by repeated security violations, in the aftermath of the general elections.