BAGHDAD, May 16 (Reuters) - Several polling stations in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk were being besieged by gunmen on Wednesday, four days after a national election, the head of the electoral commission said.

Riyadh al-Badran said the gunmen, who he did not identify, were putting pressure on the commission to change the election results.

"The employees of the commission are in a hostage situation," he said, calling on authorities to provide protection.

(Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli and Ulf Laessing; editing by John Stonestreet)

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