Iraq holds elections amid violence

Iraqis began voting in key elections for a new parliament as the country slides deeper into violence more than two years after US forces left.

Polls across the Arab nation opened at 7am local time today and will close at 6pm local time. The first national ballot after the Americans left in 2011, the elections are being held amid tight security provided by hundreds of thousands troops and police.

Iraq’s 22 million registered voters are electing a 328-seat parliament.

A Shiite party led by Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq’s prime minister of eight years, is expected to win the most seats but is unlikely to win a majority.

Mr Al-Maliki will probably have to cobble together a coalition if he is to retain his job for a third, four-year term.