Iraqi Shiites protest local vote in Diyala

About 2,000 Shiites have staged marches to protest the results of provincial elections in tense Diyala province. The demonstrators claim Shiites were the victims of fraud and denied seats on the influential provincial council. The marches Sunday northeast of Baghdad are the first significant street protests against the results. Sunnis in Anbar province also alleged fraud after the Jan. 31 vote but were eventually satisfied with the outcome. The Diyala protesters also want the election commission replaced. Diyala is a mixed province with each of Iraq's main sectarian and ethnic groups represented and has been a flashpoint for violence. Sunnis won 15 seats on the council. Kurds took six and Shiites had five. A secular party won three.