1st LD: Protesters begin withdraw from Baghdad Green Zone
Xinhua, May 2, 2016 Adjust font size:
Thousands of followers of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Sunday started to withdraw from the Green Zone in central Baghdad in honor for a major Shiite ritual and to give time for the political parties to agree on reforms demanded by the protesters.
A statement issued by a committee of Sadr aides, responsible for organizing the protest, said "the masses from a position of strength announces evacuation from the Green Zone."
The statement said that the move came as hundreds of thousands of Shiite Muslims gather at the mausoleum of Imam Musa al-Kadhim in Baghdad's northern district of Kadhmiyah to commemorate the death of the seventh of the most revered 12 Shiite Imams.
The statement reiterated the demand of Sadr's followers to vote in new cabinet members of independent technocrats.
The statement warned that if the government and the parliament fail to meet their demand, there would be call for early elections, while the people will take all lawful means, like entering the headquarters of the three presidencies (President, Premier and Speaker) and announcing civil disobedience and public strik