In pictures: Iraq's landmark poll

Iraqis have voted in provincial elections - the first major poll in the war-battered country since 2005.

Voters were choosing local councils in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces. More than 14,000 candidates competed for 440 council seats.

Officials hope the polls will give a clear signal that Iraq is heading towards stability after the US-led invasion in 2003.

Up to 15 million people were eligible to cast ballots. The voters' fingers were dyed with purple ink to try to avoid vote-rigging.

Stringent security measures were followed at polling stations amid fears of attacks by insurgents.

There was a complete ban on movement by vehicle in place, as officials tried to minimise the risk of car bomb attacks.

Some 400 international and about 300,000 local observers toured the polling stations to check for irregularities.

At the end of a long day of voting, electoral workers are starting to count ballots. The first results are not expected until next week.

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