AN ELECTION observer alleges that he was abducted and tortured by security forces loyal to the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Iraq yesterday.

Nifshe Nu said he was taken hostage after objecting to “irregular behaviour” at a polling station in the city of Erbil in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq.

He alleged that he was taken to a spot outside the city by KDP security forces where they threatened to kill him and tortured him before letting him go.

Photos circulated on social media appeared to show Mr Nu with severe injuries after he was treated in Erbil hospital.

Tensions have been running high with parliamentary elections having taken place yesterday to elect a new government in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Both main parties — the KDP, which is allied to the Barzani clan, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) which is allied to the Talabani clan — have made allegations of fraud and demanded investigations.

The elections were the first held since last year’s controversial independence referendum, which was deemed unconstitutional by Baghdad.

Economic sanctions were imposed by the central government, which mobilised troops to Iraqi Kurdistan amid fears of the break-up of the country.