Iraqi parliament evacuated to avoid protesters' storm
Employees at the government institutions in Green Zone had to leave work early on Wednesday.
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) –On Wednesday, Baghdad Operations Command called upon all the members of the Iraqi parliament and its employees to evacuate the Parliament immediately to avoid protesters' storming of the building.
Thousands of Iraqis loyal to the powerful Shia cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr took to the streets in Baghdad, calling for changes in the Iraqi electoral law and establishing an Independent High Electoral Commission.
Security forces blocked the roads and bridges linked to the fortified Green Zone gates to prevent the protesters from storming the area.
Before the beginning of the portest, Baghdad Operations Command called upon all employees of the parliament and the MPs as well as the employees of other government institutions inside the Green Zone to leave their workplace.
According to the Iraqi local media outlets, employees at the government institutions in Green Zone left work early on Wednesday.
The Green Zone is a 10-kilometer square area located in Karkh district of Baghdad. Governmental buildings, foreign offices, and embassies are located in the area aiming to provide officials with tight security.
On April 30, 2016 hundreds of protesters affiliated with the Shia Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr breached Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone and stormed the Iraqi parliament building.
The Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi called upon the parliament to execute its duties in forming a new electoral commission, stating that the commission has to be independent and does not represent any political parties.
In January 2017, Abadi said that the Council of Ministers has set the 16th of April as the date to hold the provincial elections.
Editing by Ava Homa