SULAIMANI (ESTA) — An Iraqi special force have closed Baghdad’s Green Zone in an effort to protect the headquarters of the electoral commission, Iraqi media reported on Monday.
“The purpose of the closure is to protect the National Center of the Independent High Electoral Commission, and vital areas in the Green Zone,” national Iraqi news agency quoted a security source as saying.
Green Zone in Baghdad houses government buildings and diplomatic missions.
The special squad “will only allow holders of the Green Zone badge to enter after conducting a thorough inspection,” NINA reported.
The tight security in Green Zone comes as the IHEC is expected to announce results of the general election in the coming hours.
Iraq held early parliamentary election on Sunday, with fears voter turnout would drop below 44.5 percent figures registered in 2018.
The electoral commission announced early on Monday that the initial turnout in the parliamentary election was 41 percent.
The commission has only announced results of 94 percent of the votes that have been counted.
The initial voter turnout was 46% in Erbil, 37% in Sulaimani, 54% in Duhok, and 44% in Kirkuk, according to the electoral commission.
Initial turnout for the other Iraqi provinces was: 40% in Basra, 43% in Maysan, 42% in al-Qadisiyah, 42% in Dhi Qar, 41% in Najaf, 44% in Muthanna, 31% in Baghdad’s Rusafa, 34% in Baghdad’s Karkh, 44% in Karbala, 46% in Babil, 46% in Diyala, 43% in Anbar, 44% in Wasit, 48% in Saladin and 42% in Nineveh.
