At least 12 people were killed and eight...

The parliamentary election, the second since the 2003 U.S.-led overthrow of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, is seen as crucial to bring stability to the war-shattered nation.

The first blast at a residential building in the Iraqi capital killed at least four people as sporadic mortar fire could be heard across the city after polling stations opened.

The blasts are the most recent in a series of attacks, which have taken place despite heavy measures to provide security at the elections, widely seen as a crucial precursor to a complete U.S. military withdrawal from the country.

Some 18.5 million people are expected to go to more than 80,000 polling stations across Iraq to choose among 6,292 candidates from 12 coalition blocs and 165 political units, who are running for 325 seats in the Iraqi parliament.

"Iraq is now at a crossroads: one road leads to peace, the other - to chaos," professor Hazem al-Nuaimi told RIA Novosti. "The increasing political tensions

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