Iraq just had its first parliamentary elections since U.S. forces withdrew in 2011.

Now, the important business of counting the votes.

Ballot counting continued on Saturday across the country.

Wednesday's national election was a key test of the country's fledgling democracy.

But it came amid renewed violence, at levels not seen since the dark days of its civil war from 2005 to 2008.

In Basra, a U.N. delegation observed election workers.

The counting may take three weeks.

Election officials hope to declare final results by the end of May.

Winners are expected to fall within sectarian and ethnic lines

And no one group is expected to come close to enjoying a majority in parliament.