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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Iraq election: Fire at Baghdad ballot paper depot | Iraq election: Fire at Baghdad ballot paper depot |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A fire has been brought under control at Iraq's biggest ballot paper storage depot days after an election recount was ordered. | |
| Votes for the eastern district of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, were being held in the depot. | Votes for the eastern district of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, were being held in the depot. |
| Officials say some ballot boxes could have been in a warehouse that burnt down but most were safe. | Officials say some ballot boxes could have been in a warehouse that burnt down but most were safe. |
| Last month's legislative elections were won by an alliance headed by Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr. | Last month's legislative elections were won by an alliance headed by Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr. |
| Amid allegations of fraud, the outgoing parliament ordered a recount of about 10 million votes. | Amid allegations of fraud, the outgoing parliament ordered a recount of about 10 million votes. |
| The depot housed ballot boxes from the city's al-Rusafa district. | The depot housed ballot boxes from the city's al-Rusafa district. |
| An interior ministry spokesman told Reuters news agency the blaze had been confined to one of four warehouses. | An interior ministry spokesman told Reuters news agency the blaze had been confined to one of four warehouses. |
| Iraqi authorities have not commented on whether they think the blaze was caused deliberately. | Iraqi authorities have not commented on whether they think the blaze was caused deliberately. |
| On Tuesday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi warned that security agencies had evidence of "unprecedented" violations during the elections. | On Tuesday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi warned that security agencies had evidence of "unprecedented" violations during the elections. |
| He said the main issue was with the electronic vote-counting machines that were used for the first time on 12 May. | He said the main issue was with the electronic vote-counting machines that were used for the first time on 12 May. |
| Fire 'plot' | Fire 'plot' |
| Though the cause of the fire was not reported, Mr Abadi described it as a "plot to harm the [Iraqi] nation and its democracy". | Though the cause of the fire was not reported, Mr Abadi described it as a "plot to harm the [Iraqi] nation and its democracy". |
| He said the government would "take all necessary measures and strike with an iron fist against those who undermine Iraq's security". | He said the government would "take all necessary measures and strike with an iron fist against those who undermine Iraq's security". |
| The outgoing speaker of the Iraqi parliament has said the election should be repeated as a result of the fire. | The outgoing speaker of the Iraqi parliament has said the election should be repeated as a result of the fire. |
| Salim al-Jabouri, who lost his seat in May's election, said the fire was "a deliberate act, a planned crime, aimed at hiding instances of fraud and manipulation of votes". | Salim al-Jabouri, who lost his seat in May's election, said the fire was "a deliberate act, a planned crime, aimed at hiding instances of fraud and manipulation of votes". |
| Mr Sadr's nationalist grouping formed an alliance with a number of secular parties. | Mr Sadr's nationalist grouping formed an alliance with a number of secular parties. |
| It won 54 of the 328 seats in parliament - making it the largest bloc in the post election landscape. | It won 54 of the 328 seats in parliament - making it the largest bloc in the post election landscape. |
| The cleric, who has ruled himself out of becoming Iraq's prime minister, once led a militia which fought US troops. | The cleric, who has ruled himself out of becoming Iraq's prime minister, once led a militia which fought US troops. |
| One of Mr Sadr's aides, Dhiaa al-Asadi, said on Twitter (in Arabic) that he thought the fire was carried out "to cancel the election or destroy the stuffed ballots counted amongst the results". | One of Mr Sadr's aides, Dhiaa al-Asadi, said on Twitter (in Arabic) that he thought the fire was carried out "to cancel the election or destroy the stuffed ballots counted amongst the results". |
| A bloc linked to Iranian-backed paramilitaries that have battled the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) over the past four years came second with 47 seats. | A bloc linked to Iranian-backed paramilitaries that have battled the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) over the past four years came second with 47 seats. |
| The election, the first held since the government declared victory over IS in December, saw a turnout of 44.5% - much lower than in previous polls. | The election, the first held since the government declared victory over IS in December, saw a turnout of 44.5% - much lower than in previous polls. |