Mosul residents fear elections

[leftchick]

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B497F1E0-B459-49CD-BF62-C0EE194E6E69.htm

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Mosul's residents have yet to receive voter registration forms, which the interim government promised would be distributed by food ration agents making their rounds.

Armed groups such as Ansar al-Sunna threatened the agents with death and ordered the forms be destroyed. Entire warehouses of forms and other elections material were burned in November and December.

On walls everywhere in the city, it is possible to read anti-election slogans, some stating that elections are religiously forbidden, others threats by Ansar al-Sunna to kill anyone participating in the poll.


The city of about three million people and home to the largest cadre of former Iraqi army officers, is predominantly Sunni and forms the third largest city in Iraq. It is pivotal in any national election.