Iraqi demonstrators stormed the fortified Green Zone’s which houses the parliament in Baghdad on Wednesday in protest against the nomination of a new prime minister by Shia parties close to Iran.
Protesters forced their way into the Green Zone after removing a number of concrete barriers, the state news agency INA reported.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi called on protesters to “immediately withdraw from Green Zone.”
For his part, the leader of the Sadrist movement, Saleh Muhammad al-Iraqi, said: “I stand in reverence and respect. It is a wonderful spontaneous and reformist popular message, thank you.”
“Your safety is more important than anything else. If you want to withdraw, I will respect this decision,” he addressed the protesters.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi news agency reported that the protesters began to withdraw from the parliament.
