Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki appeared to strengthen his standing in several key areas of the country, while an Arab party edged toward control of a contested northern province, according to party officials reviewing preliminary results from Saturday's Iraq elections.If Maliki's allies prevail, it would place his Dawa Party in a commanding position, strengthening it relative to other partners in the current government.
Leaders of the Sunni Arab al-Hadba-a party, meanwhile, said Monday the group had won roughly 60 percent of the vote in Nineveh Province, which is currently controlled by Kurds. Representatives of the Kurdish bloc acknowledged that preliminary results suggest they will get no more than a dozen of slots on the 37-seat provincial council.