By XINHUA,
BAGHDAD : Top U.S. officials and military commanders in Iraq congratulated Iraqis for the country’s provincial elections, describing it as a milestone in Iraq’s democratic development, a joint statement by U.S. embassy and military said on Sunday.
The statement congratulated the Iraqi people for holding the provincial elections and hailed the large turnout of voters.
It also congratulated the Iraqi government and the security forces for their efforts that brought a success for the elections.
“We congratulate the Iraqi authorities, their security forces and the Iraqi election commission for their careful preparation and administration of these elections,” said the statement by ambassador Ryan Crocker and top U.S. military commander in Iraq General Ray Odierno.
They said that the elections mark a “major step forward in Iraq’s democratic development.
On Saturday, millions of Iraqis headed to cast their ballots in polling stations across 14 out of 18 Iraqi provinces to choose their leaders in provincial councils.