An Iraqi security officer dips his finger in ink after voting in the early round for members of the military and security forces in the 2023 Iraqi municipal elections, in the central holy shrine city of Najaf early on December 16, 2023.(PHOTO / AFP)

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi authorities said Saturday that the turnout of early voting for the country's provincial elections reached 67 percent.

The Iraqi Independent Electoral Commission said in a press conference that "706,805 out of 1,050,653 eligible voters cast their votes."

The early voting for security forces and internally displaced persons began on Saturday at 7 am local time (0400 GMT) and ended at 6 pm.

The early voting was held two days before the country's provincial elections slated for Monday in the 15 provinces, excluding the three provinces of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.

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The previous provincial elections in Iraq were held in April 2013.