Iraqi violence may restrict elections

January 12, 2005

Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said that on-going violence in Iraq may hamper the forthcoming elections for a new national government, due to be held on January 30.

"There are some pockets that will not participate in the election, but they are not large," Allawi said.

Fifteen people died in violence across Iraq today. A bomb blast in Tikrit killed six police officers and wounded a dozen. South of Baghdad, a bomb destroyed a minibus and killed seven civilians onboard. The bomb apparently was aimed at a US military convoy. Another bomb killed two people in Samarra.