Updated on
Summary
Al-Qaeda in Iraq has declared a nationwide curfew to try to stop Sunday's elections, warning Iraqis they risked death if they voted.The Islamic State of Iraq, an Al-Qaeda-led umbrella organization of insurgent groups, set the curfew from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm throughout Iraq and especially in Sunni areas in a message posted on its website. For the safety of our people, any of those who learn of this, report it to those who do not know and supply yourself with needs for the curfew, it said. The group added that anyone who defies the curfew will unfortunately expose himself to the anger of Allah and then to all kinds of weapons of the mujahedeen. Sunnis are expected to cast ballots in large numbers this weekend, in stark contrast to a 2005 boycott of the poll, despite fresh memories of bloodshed with the majority Shiites that has killed tens of thousands of people. The Al-Qaeda-linked statement came after Iraqi religious leaders ordered their fellow citizens during Friday prayers to vote in weekend parliamentary elections to safeguard the war-wracked nation's fledgling democracy.
