BEIJING, Oct. 17 -- Election officials counted millions of paper ballots across Iraq on Sunday to determine whether the country's draft constitution could be passed.

    Officials said the Initial estimates of overall turnout were 61 percent, and Indications are that the constitution will pass.

    Meanwhile, insurgents fired two mortar rounds at Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone.

    The blasts occurred about an hour after officials had lifted one of the many security restrictions.
Some Iraqis on the streets expressed satisfaction with the way the referendum was conducted. Sarmad is one of those surprised at the order:

    "When I went to the polling centre, I found that everything was organised. No one forced us to write 'yes' or 'no'. We chose. So I do not think that any Iraqi would write yes or no without having any idea about the constitution."

    Officials feared a day of referendum complicated by bloody insurgent attacks, but it turned out to be one of the most peaceful days the country had seen in months, with only four reported deaths.

    Insurgents attacked a few polling stations on Saturday, wounding several voters. But there were no suicide bombings or other major attacks during voting at about 6,000 heavily protected polling stations across the country.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)