Iraq security personnel in Kirkuk vote in assembly poll

KIRKUK, Iraq (AA) - Security personnel in Iraq’s northern Kirkuk province cast ballots on Thursday in advance of nationwide parliamentary polls slated for Saturday.

Abdulbasit Dervis, a spokesman for Iraq’s official electoral commission, told Anadolu Agency that voting in Kirkuk would continue until 18:00 local time.

“Security personnel are voting at 19 polling stations set up across Kirkuk city,” Dervis said.

Oil-rich Kirkuk is represented by 13 out of 328 members of Iraq’s parliament.

Iraqi police, military and other security personnel cast ballots on Thursday. Polling among the general public is set to take place nationwide on Saturday.

The electoral commission put voter turnout among security personnel at 28 percent as of midday Thursday.

The election will see more than 7,000 candidates compete for seats in Iraq’s national assembly.

Roughly 24 million Iraqis out of the country’s 37-million-strong population are registered to take part in the polls.

Late last year, Iraqi federal forces moved into Kirkuk -- which is disputed between Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government -- after the latter held an unconstitutional poll on regional independence.