Iraqi judiciary says no proof of fraud in national election

Erbil (Kurdistan 24) - The head of Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, Faeq Zaidan, announced on Thursday that claims of fraud in last month's national parliamentary vote have so far proven to be unfounded.

"Until now, electoral fraud has not been proven with legal evidence," he told the Iraqi News Agency.

Zaidan did, however, add that "the investigation into the killers of demonstrators in the vicinity of the Green Zone last Friday continues, pending the completion of the work of the investigative committee formed by the prime minister to present it to the judicial authority."

Iraqi leaders called for restraint late last Friday after violent clashes broke out as supporters of Iran-aligned militias of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) attempted to storm Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone as part of protests following the loss of parliament seats by political parties affiliated to the armed groups. 

Read More: Iraqi security forces, supporters of Iran-backed militias clash in central Baghdad

Later in the evening, new confrontations erupted close to the Green Zone, where police fired into the air to disperse PMF supporters.