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Iraqi parties both claim to be ahead

Baghdad. The Iraqi prime minister's coalition and its main secular rival both claimed to be ahead in the vote count yesterday, a day after historic parliamentary elections that the top US commander said would let all but 50,000 American troops return home by the end of summer.

Sunday's election, which took place against a backdrop of violence in Baghdad, marked a turning point for the country's nascent democracy. The winner will help determine whether Iraq can resolve its sectarian divisions and preserve the nation's fragile security as US troops leave.

Initial results for some provinces, as well as for Baghdad - an area essential to determining any winner - are expected today. AP