ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Two candidates for the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections on Saturday claimed their offices had been targeted by unidentified gunmen, days after the assassination of Safaa al-Mashhadani, another candidate, in the capital Baghdad.

Muthanna Thaer al-Azzawi, a candidate for the Sunni Azm Alliance, said in a statement that his office in Baghdad’s Yusufiyah area was the target of an armed attack in the early hours of Saturday, resulting in the injury of one of his associates.

“These extraneous actions will not dissuade us from continuing to serve our people and standing by their side with all sincerity and responsibility, as our firm belief is that the law is above everyone, and the aggressors will be punished with their actions sooner or later,” read the statement from Azzawi.

Abdul Hussein al-Saadi, a candidate for the Shiite Badr Organization, also reported a similar attack on his office in Maysan province late Friday, causing no casualties.

A statement released by Saadi claimed that his office "was subjected to direct gunfire at 2:25 after midnight," adding that the attack will not deter him from his “Jihadist path.”

The developments follow the assassination of Safaa al-Mashhadani, a National Sovereignty-Legislation Alliance candidate, on Wednesday, which sparked national outrage, with a large number of the country’s most influential political parties and figures publicly condemning the act.

Iraq has continuously struggled with sectarian and political division across its religious and ethnic components, frequently manifesting in violence that spills over into its political and electoral processes.

Iraq's parliamentary elections are set to be held on November 11. Nearly 30 million Iraqis are eligible to vote, including more than one million who will be eligible for the first time.