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Iraq PM leads in early results from oil hub Basra
[Al Arabiya Latest] A list led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had a wide lead in early results from the southern oil hub of Basra and a coalition led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi leads in the northern city of Kirkuk, the country's electoral commission said on Sunday.

Maliki's State of Law coalition had 219,657 votes compared to 121,497 for a fellow Shiite list, the Iraqi National Alliance, which has close ties to Iran.

Iraqiya, a secular, cross-sectarian alliance led by former Prime Minister Allawi, had 36,093 votes. The totals represented 63 percent of the vote in Basra province.

Iraq's electoral commission said Allawi was leading in the northern city of Kirkuk, without giving more details.

So far, results have been released for 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces. The remaining four were set to be announced later on Sunday.
Posted by: Fred 2010-03-15
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=292594