re.compile().split(): why it produces empty string as a first element of the list

[alf]

Hi,
Let's run following:

 >>> re.compile('(\[.*?\])').split('[aa]bb[11]22')
['', '[aa]', 'bb', '[11]', '22']


Why does it return '' as a first element of the list?

Any insight?

-- 
alf
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