Maliki Leads Partial Vote Count In Baghdad

The partial vote count for Baghdad shows Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in the lead from last weekend's parliamentary elections.

Iraqi election officials said that the vote tally for the capital so far shows Maliki's State of Law alliance in first place, followed by the Shi'ite religious parties' Iraqi National Alliance in second, and the secular Al-Iraqiyah bloc of former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi in third.

Iraqi state television reported that only 18 percent of the vote has been counted in Baghdad so far.

Final results from the March 7 polls may take weeks more.

compiled from agency reports