Iraqi Turkmen parliament candidate survives murder bid

By Hussein al-Amir and Ali Jawad

BAGHDAD (AA) - An Iraqi Turkmen candidate in parliamentary polls slated for next month survived an assassination attempt on Friday on the Kirkuk-Diyala highway, according to a local security source.

“Unknown assailants attacked Anwar Fakhri Karim, a parliamentary candidate for the Turkmen Front Coalition, in the Al-Azim district along the road linking Kirkuk with Diyala,” Police Captain Habib al-Shammari told Anadolu Agency.

According to al-Shammari, the armed attack by unknown gunmen led to the injury of one of Karim’s bodyguards.

Karim, who escaped the incident unscathed, is also a leading member of Kirkuk’s Turkmen National Movement.

A total of 7,376 candidates -- representing 320 political parties, coalitions and lists -- are expected to run in the upcoming contest over 328 parliamentary seats.

Twenty-four million out of 37 million Iraqis will be eligible to cast ballots in the election.