Green Zone in Baghdad opened after 33 killed in clashes
Protesters and security forces in the Green Zone in Baghdad. Photo: Al-Arabiya News
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Supporters of the Sadrist movement withdrew from the Green Zone in Baghdad in response to the instructions of their leader Muqtada al-Sadr.
The Joint Operations Command announced it lifted the curfew imposed in Iraq, and the Operations Commander in Baghdad said that all closed roads around the Green Zone are opened.
The Coordination Framework called on its supporters to return to their homes, and announced the withdrawal of its protesters from the 14th of July Bridge in Baghdad.
These events took place after clashes with heavy and medium weapons renewed on Tuesday morning in and around the Green Zone for the second day in a row between supporters of the Sadrist movement and supporters of rival political parties in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
The death toll from these clashes rose to 33, most of whom were supporters of al-Sadr, in addition to more than 300 hundred wounded, sources told Al-Arabiya News.
Al-Arabiya News also mentioned that security forces cut off the streets in Baghdad using concrete barricades.
The streets were almost empty of pedestrians and armed men roamed the streets in trucks while waving with machine guns and RPGs.
Calm prevails in the city of Nasiriyah southeast of Baghdad after al-Sadr’s call to stop the violence.
The Iraqi Security Media Cell (ISMC) mentioned in a statement that the Green Zone in Baghdad was hit by four missiles that caused damages to buildings in the residential complex, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
The ISMC statement added that the places where the missiles were fired are Al-Habibiya and Al-Baladiyat neighborhoods, east of the capital, Baghdad.
A senior security source also reported that the US embassy in Baghdad sounded the sirens at early hours of Tuesday after unknown drones were observed flying over the area.
Iran closed the land borders on Tuesday amid violence in Baghdad while Iraq Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) confirmed that flights continue at Baghdad International Airport.