Iraq bans vehicle travel around polling stations on election day
16/1/2005 11:14
Vehicle traffic will be banned in polling areas in an effort to avoid
bloodshed on election day, the interim Iraqi government said on
Saturday.
"Vehicle travel will be limited between Iraqi provinces and inside
each region, even among Baghdad's different neighborhoods," said Wael Abdul
Latif, the state minister for provincial affairs.
In a joint press conference
with the head of the electoral commission Abdul Hussein Hendawi, Abdul Latif
gave no detailed plan but said necessary facilities would be provided to "ensure
the success of the election."
Sources close to the security forces told
Xinhua that an area of two square kilometers surrounding each of the thousands
of polling centers will be sealed off to head off possible car bombings.
A
number of militant groups, including some responsible for the deadliest car bomb
attacks in Iraq, have threatened to wage more assaults on voting
centers.
Iraqi government repeatedly pledged that the elections will be held
on time on Jan. 30, while many Sunni factions called for boycott or declared a
withdrawal at best, arguing that the deteriorating security situation is unable
to guarantee a safe, fully-participated polling.
Xinhua
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