Iraqis are voting today in their country's first free election in half a century, amid attempts by insurgents to disrupt the voting. Suicide bombings and mortar attacks have killed at least six people, including four people waiting outside a polling station in the capital's poor Sadr City area. Explosions have also hit Basra,
Baquouba and Mosul.
Casting his vote, interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said this is "the first time the Iraqis will determine their destiny." President, Ghazi al-Yawer, said the day is Iraq's first step "toward
joining the free world":
"Deep in my heart I feel Iraqis deserve free elections. This will be our first step toward joining the free world and being a democracy
that Iraqis will be proud of."
Despite the attacks, turnout is reported brisk in
some Shiite Muslim and mixed Shiite-Sunni neighborhoods, both in Baghdad and in southern cities like Basra.
But the polls were deserted in heavily Sunni cities like Fallujah, Ramadi and Samarra west and north of Baghdad.
