Iraq’s U.S.-backed government says it is extending emergency powers equivalent to martial law for a further 30 days to try to safeguard January 30 elections under threat from deadly attacks by insurgents.

The state of emergency, first imposed in November ahead of a major U.S. assault on the rebel stronghold of Falluja west of Baghdad, would stay in effect into February, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi’s government said in a statement on Thursday.