IRAQIS voted yesterday in one of the largest and freest elections in the Arab world, with strong turnout reported in Sunni areas and even a shortage of ballots in some precincts.

Iraqis voted in an historic parliamentary election today, with strong turnout reported in Sunni Arab areas that had shunned balloting last January, bolstering US hopes of calming the insurgency enough to begin withdrawing its troops.

Iraqis voted in a historic parliamentary election today, with strong turnout reported in Sunni Arab areas that had shunned the election last January.