Militants Flex Their Muscles in Volatile Diyala

Parts of Diyala province are under the control of al-Qaeda and other Sunni Islamist groups, who do not support the elections.



Campaigning is very limited in those areas, which lie mostly to the south of the main city, Baquba. Armed groups there have published leaflets warning people against voting.



For people in other parts of Diyala, security is the biggest election issue. This region has seen a lot of violence recently between militants and the security forces.



Support for the Islamists parties has fallen. People are keen to elect leaders who do not have a primarily religious agenda.



In the less dangerous parts of Diyala, there are some of the usual signs of electioneering such as placards and posters.