Faruq Zarzur al-Juburi, a candidate supporting Vice President Ayad Allawi had been shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside his house near Mosul, AFP reported, citing a local official. The Daesh terror group, which previously threatened to carry out attacks on candidates and polling stations, has claimed responsibility for the attack, the Rudaw media outlet reported, citing the terrorists' statement.
Similar information was received by Sputnik earlier on Monday from local sources in the province of Ninewa, who stated that Zarzur was shot dead near his house when he returned home from morning prayer. His murder is the first attack on participants of the pre-election campaign in Iraq.
However, no official statement on the attack has been issued so far.
READ MORE: US Seeks Low-Key Military Presence in Iraq to Avoid Political Blowback — Report
The citizens of Iraq are set to vote for the next federal government on May 12, what will become their first elections since the rise of the Daesh terror group* and its defeat announced last year. Major coalitions were put forward by the leading Shiite politicians of the country — Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Vice-President Nuri al-Maliki. There are 6,686 candidates, 2,014 of them women, for 328 seats in the parliament.
*Daesh [IS, ISIL, Islamic State] — terrorist organization banned in Russia.
