Iraq counts votes after massive polls turnout

Millions of votes were being counted after Thursday's election for the first full-term government since the ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003, which witnessed minimal violence in stark contrast to a vote in January.

"The number of whose who took part in the ballot should be between 10 and 11 million voters, according to our first estimates," said senior electoral official Farid Ayar.

A figure of 11 million voters would put turnout at around 70 percent.

However, final results however are not expected for at least two weeks and the country faces much political horse-trading before a new government is installed.

"Iraqis are ready to determine their future by democratic means through the ballot box," said Kamiran Garadghi, spokesman for Iraq's first Kurdish president, Jalal Talabani.

Shia parties scored well in their strongholds in the south of the country, while Sunni regions reported strong turnout.

Global leaders hailed the vote, which many hope will end the insurgency raging since Saddam's downfall in April 2003 and pave the way for an exit of US-led foreign troops.