Brigadier Ghaleb al-Attiyah, spokesman for the Higher Committee for the Assurance of the elections, announced that his troops took up positions in the 8,270 polling stations scheduled for the consultation.
Meanwhile, Hadi al-Amiri, head of Al-Fatah Alliance, affirmed that the victory over terrorism was obtained with Iraqi blood without US support, therefore, that presence is not necessary for the elections.
Al-Amiri added that the Popular Mobilization Units or al-Hashd al-Shaabi, formed at the request of Iraqi religious leader Ali al-Sistani, came to stay, despite the United States aversion against them.
An estimated 329 seats, for which more than 3,200 candidates are running, will be put at stake.
The elections will be held a year earlier than scheduled, in view of a demand for massive demonstrations that took place as of late 2019.
pgh/iff/ga/arc