Bomb attacks by Al-Qaeda militants killed...

At least two buildings were blown up and sporadic mortar fire was heard across the city as Iraqis were voting in the parliamentary election, the second since the 2003 U.S.-led overthrow of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, which is intended to bring stability to the war-shattered nation.

The blasts are the most recent in a series of attacks, which have taken place despite heavy measures to provide security at the elections, widely seen as a crucial precursor to a complete U.S. military withdrawal from the country.

Some 18.5 million people are expected to cast their votes at more than 80,000 polling stations across Iraq to choose among 6,292 candidates from 12 coalition blocs and 165 political units, who are running for 325 seats in the Iraqi parliament.

"Iraq is now at a crossroads: one road leads to peace, the other - to chaos," professor Hazem al-Nuaimi told RIA Novosti. "The increasing political tensions and instability show that the fight for power between Sunnis,

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