Iraq's electoral commission says partial results from Sunday's elections show the main Shi'ite coalition is leading in six mainly Shi'ite provinces where most of the votes have been counted.

The United Iraqi Alliance, which has the support of influential Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, is ahead with about 75 percent of the 1.6 million ballots counted.

The candidate list led by interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, who is also a Shi'ite, has about 20 percent of the vote in those provinces.

Final results from all 18 provinces are not expected for another week.

In another development, the head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Jalal Talabani, said he would seek the post of either prime minister or president in the new government.

Meanwhile, at least 10 Iraqis have been killed in attacks Thursday.