A police colonel was also gunned down along with his 5-year-old daughter on Monday as he was driving in southern Baghdad, officials said yesterday. Colonel Nadir Hassan was in charge of police protection forces for electric power facilities in two provinces flanking the capital.
Insurgents have targeted scores of Iraqi interim government and police officials in car bombings and drive-by shootings. Earlier this month, gunmen killed the governor of Baghdad province and the capital's deputy police chief.
Al-Zarqawi has been trying through several audio recordings posted on the Web to incite Sunni Arabs against the Shiite majority, playing on Sunni fears that the elections will spell the end of their privileged position in Iraq.
Many Sunnis are expected to boycott Sunday's elections, either to express opposition to the process or for fear of reprisals. Shiites and Kurds are expected to vote in huge numbers.
Iraqis are to choose a 275-member National Assembly and legislatures in each of the 18 provinces. Voters in the Kurdish-ruled area of the north will also elect a new regional parliament.
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