Dozens of mortar rounds thudded across Baghdad on Sunday morning and at least 12 people were killed as Iraqis went to the polls in an election testing the stability of the country’s still-fragile democracy.
Insurgents had vowed to disrupt the elections -- which they see as validating the Shiite-led government and the U.S. presence -- with violence in order to increase uncertainty over a looming U.S. troop drawdown and widen still jagged sectarian divisions.
As the polls opened at 7 a.m., bombs began exploding and mortar rounds landing across the city.
In the Shurta neighborhood in west Baghdad, at least eight people were confirmed dead as rescuers pulled 20 victims from a three-story building that collapsed after an explosion.
In east Baghdad, across the Tigris River near Sadr City, four people were killed when a blast ripped apart a residential building.
Mortar rounds were also lobbed toward the Green Zone, the heavily fortified area that is home to the U.S. Embassy and the prime minister’s office.
The attacks were aimed at unnerving the city’s residents to keep them from participating in the second election for a full term of parliament since the U.S.-led invasion seven years ago. About 6,200 candidates are competing for 325 parliament seats.
The city’s roads were nearly empty as only authorized vehicles were allowed on the streets. The country’s borders have been sealed, the airport closed and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi soldiers and police officers are on alert.
In Baghdad, small bands of people continued to venture out to the polls.
“If we had to crawl, we would crawl” in order to vote, Ali Abdul Wahab said, even though “anyone we vote for will be bad.”
In Najaf on Saturday, a car bomb ripped through a parking lot used by pilgrims in the Shiite holy city, killing three people in an attack that was almost certainly intended to ignite sectarian passions. Two Iranians and an Iraqi were killed in the explosion about 300 yards from the Imam Ali shrine, one of the holiest sites in Shiite Islam. The attack wounded 54 people, 19 of them Iranians.
ned.parker@latimes.com
Times wire services were used in compiling this report.
At least 24 people died today in Baghdad as dozens of mortars were fired throughout the city, destroying at least two buildings. The incidents occurred just as Iraq's parliamentary election commenced. The election is the second since Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003. 6,200 candidates are competing for 325 parliament seats in the election.

Insurgents have promised to disrupt the elections by means of violence to show their opposition to America and the Shiite-led Iraqi government. A group linked to al-Qaeda distributed leaflets in the capital advising people against going to vote. Polling opened at 7 AM (local time) and immediately bombs were detonated and mortar rounds landed throughout the city.

In Shurta, West Baghdad, twelve were confirmed dead, and rescue workers saved twenty from the debris of a demolished building. Across the Tigris River, in East Baghdad, five were killed in a blast at a residential building. The Green Zone, the area that hosts the U.S. Embassy and the Prime Minister's office, was also hit by mortar rounds. Seven others died in various parts of the nation. No polling stations were hit.

Nouri Maliki, the present Prime Minister, called for a strong turnout to boost democracy in the country. Although violence in Iraq is much reduced from its peak, hundreds of people are dying each month even now and the country continues to have poor infrastructure. 

To prevent attacks, the border with Iran was shut down, several troops deployed, and movement of unauthorized vehicles banned, leaving Baghdad's roads almost empty. Despite this, people continued to head to the polls. "If we had to crawl, we would crawl in order to vote," said a resident, Ali Abdul Wahab, though according to him: "anyone we vote for will be bad."

On Saturday, a car bomb detonated near a parking lot used by pilgrims in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, killed three. Two Iranians and an Iraqi were those who died in the attack, only about 300 yards from the Imam Ali shrine, a holy site in Shiite Islam. 54 people were wounded, of whom 19 were Iranians.