Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.

Gunmen Kill Iraqi Election Official
-----------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=AF73A0:2AB91D3

Police say election worker shot late Thursday, but no further details
provided Iraqi authorities say attackers have gunned down an election
official in western Baghdad, in what is at least the seventh killing
of an election worker before Iraq's national election at the end of
this month.

Police say the election workers was shot late Thursday, but they did
not provide any further details.

Earlier, the insurgent group Ansar al-Islam claimed responsibility for
the killing this week of an aide to Iraq's highest Shi'ite authority,
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. A statement by the group Friday, calls
for a boycott of the January 30 elections.

U.S. military officials say Iraqi forces have dramatically improved
their defense capabilities, despite an increasing number of attacks on
them.

The Pentagon says a high-level team of military experts has arrived to
assess the progress of Iraqi forces.


.