Iraqi security officials lock down parts of Baghdad, launching searches, spokesman says

Iraqi security locks down parts of Baghdad

BAGHDAD — Iraqi security forces locked down parts of Baghdad Tuesday and were searching neighborhoods, said Baghdad’s chief military spokesman, in what appeared to be a wide-ranging operation across the city.

While there are hundreds of checkpoints throughout Baghdad, such large-scale lockdowns and searches of neighborhoods have become rare since the height of the insurgency.

The security operation comes as Iraq is preparing for crucial nationwide parliamentary elections in March, and officials have warned that insurgents trying to disrupt the vote could try to launch attacks as the election nears.

“We imposed strict security procedures and blocked parts of Baghdad neighborhoods to launch searching operations,” Maj. Gen. Qassim Al-Moussawi told The Associated Press by phone.

He would not comment on why the measures were imposed, if authorities were responding to a specific threat, or in which neighborhoods the operations were under way.

People in various neighborhoods across the city reported that no cars were allowed on the streets in their areas, and some schools had been closed as part of the security lockdown. In some areas of Baghdad, no vehicles could be seen on normally traffic-clogged roads.

Baghdad has been rocked by a number of high-profile bombings in recent months, mostly targeting government institutions in central Baghdad.

Associated Press writer Saad Abdul-Kadir contributed to this report.