Several others have married men in Sadr City, a Shiite district of Baghdad.

They were Kurds living in Saddam City, the predominantly Shiite district of Baghdad.

But the voting still ran along religious lines, with Hezbollah candidates piling up huge margins in the Shiite districts.

Iran, however, remains committed to extending its influence over Iraq's southern Shiite district in the view of Iraqi officials here.

Take care not to wander into the historic, Shiite district of Al-Lawataya by mistake, as the settlement is walled for a good purpose.

Mr. Aaraji found work in Kadhimiya, a heavily Shiite district.

Now they are looking for work in a Shiite district.

And Sadr City, the largest Shiite district, he said, "is surrounded from all sides.

The two factions have been engaged in a bitter conflict for dominance in Shiite districts in Lebanon.

The violence soon spread to the predominantly Shiite southern district.