Iraq PM orders arrest of protesters

Media captionProtesters enter the Iraqi parliament building

Iraq’s Prime Minister has ordered the arrest of Shia Muslim activists who stormed parliament in Baghdad on Saturday.

Supporters of cleric Moqtada Sadr broke through barricades of the fortified Green Zone in protest against the deadlock in approving a new cabinet.

PM Haider al-Abadi said those who attacked police “and inflicted damage on public facilities” should be held.

A state of emergency was declared in Baghdad after the protests.

Security forces near the US embassy fired tear gas. Some protesters were seen striking MPs as they left or throwing objects at their cars.

Protesters set up camp outside the parliament on Saturday night after occupying the chamber, and many were still there on Sunday.

Mr Sadr wants Mr Abadi to commit to a plan to replace ministers with non-partisan technocrats.

Powerful parties in parliament have refused to approve the change for several weeks.

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AFP

Image caption

Stones were thrown at cars thought to be carrying MPs away

Earlier this week, hundreds of thousands of people marched towards the Green Zone, the most secure part of Baghdad that houses embassies and government buildings, to protest against the political deadlock.

Iraqi President Fuad Masum called on politicians to enact the cabinet reshuffle.

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