PM Abadi appears ahead in Iraq election, followed by Sadr list -initial results

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission employee closes a ballot box at a polling station during the parliamentary election in Baghdad

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s list appears to be leading in Iraq’s parliamentary election followed by influential Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s alliance, an election commission source and a security official told Reuters.

The sources cited unofficial initial results.

Iraqis voted on Saturday in the first election since the defeat of Islamic State forces inside the country. Final results are expected on Monday.