Mosul (AINA) -- 150,000 ChaldoAssyrians gathered in al-Hamadaniya, Karmelis, Bartila, al-Ayadiya and the surrounding villages to protest their exclusion from voting in the election on Sunday, Azzaman Newspaper reported yesterday.

Voting boxes and supplies were not delivered to the predominantly Christian districts of Baghdeda, Bartilla, Karamlesh, Shekhan, Ain Sifne and Rimady, which have a population of 300,000 ChaldoAssyrians. The voting boxes were to be delivered from Kurdish controlled Arbil. Election officials repeatedly gave assurances that the boxes would arrive from Arbil, but without any results.

An Assyrian government official, who wishes to remain annonymous, stated that no collaboration was received from the Mosul Governor and the Mosul City Council concerning the personnel who must open the centers in the Christian villages. Instead of having the Assyrians manning these voting stations, officials said they were "obliged" to bring Muslims from Karbala, Baghdad and elsewhere to carry the responsibility in Mosul and the surrounding areas.

The New York Times reported this story, but erroneously labeled these areas and their inhabitants Kurdish.