EN PRINCIPIO no voy a tener ocasión -obligaciones familiares- de hacer seguimiento en directo del referéndum en Iraq; como mucho pondré algún enlace suelto o haré algún comentario cuando todo esté más claro. Si queréis añadir información o enlaces en los comentarios, son todos vuestros.

De momento hace poco más de media hora que han cerrado los colegios electorales. No ha habido más que un puñado de ataques terroristas aislados y muy poco efectivos, y la participación parece que ha sido alta; CNN dice que la impresión generalizada es que ha sido todavía superior a la de las elecciones del 30 de enero.

La cara que se les quedará a algunos.

ACTUALIZACIÓN. Reuters:

In unexpected calm, millions of Iraqis voted on Saturday in a referendum on a new constitution that is designed to reshape the country after Saddam Hussein but which many fear may tear it further apart.

Insurgents fought gunbattles with Iraqi and U.S. forces in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, but throughout the capital and much of the country, voting appeared to go smoothly and safely for 10 hours until polling stations began closing at 5 p.m. (1400 GMT).

More than 15.5 million Iraqis could vote "Yes" or "No" to a draft constitution proposed by a parliament dominated by Shi'ite Muslims and ethnic Kurds. Sunni Arabs, who shunned the poll in January that elected the assembly, were out in force this time round, making their voices heard, mostly in opposition.

Sunni militants threatened to attack the vote, but while mortars landed near a polling station in Baghdad, and several roadside bombs went off, there was much less violence than the U.S. military said might be possible.

It was in marked contrast to the elections in January, when guerrillas carried out more than a hundred attacks on the day, including suicide bombings, killing more than 40 people.

In hundreds of interviews with Reuters across the country, most Iraqis said they voted "Yes", with opinions mostly split along predictable sectarian lines. Despite strong "No" votes in Sunni areas, few officials expect the two-thirds rejection in at least three provinces which would be required to veto the text.

"I came here to participate and not make the same mistake we made at the last election," said Yassin Humadi, 57, in the Sunni stronghold of Falluja, west of Baghdad.

"We will not allow the others to control the Sunnis again."

En el enlace hay varias imágenes.