Voting was being held in 16 countries across the globe, from neighboring Syria and Jordan, which are home to the largest Iraqi expatriate communities, to Australia and the United States.

The United Nations refugee agency estimates that around 2 million Iraqis are living abroad — the majority of whom fled violence following the 2003 US-led invasion.

A large proportion of those — particularly in Jordan and Syria — are Sunni Arabs who fled the fierce wave of sectarian killings at the height of the Iraq war.

Voting abroad will be held for three days, while in Iraq most voters go to the polls on Sunday, choosing a 325-seat legislature. The largest bloc in parliament will try to put together a government to lead Iraq for four key years as US troops withdraw.