After Iraq's influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced his retirement from politics, his supporters stormed the Republican Palace, a commercial building in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone.
Reuters news agency quoted a security source as saying that angry protesters stormed the Republican Palace moments after Muqtada al-Sadr announced his retirement from politics.
According to an AFP photographer, thousands of Sadr's supporters are moving towards Baghdad's Green Zone.
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According to the Joint Operations Command of the Army, the movement of vehicles and citizens will be restricted during curfews.
Earlier, al-Sadr had announced his final withdrawal from politics. According to Reuters, Moqtada al-Sadr's latest decision may create more instability in the country.
Muqtada al-Sadr wrote on Twitter that "I announce my final withdrawal from politics." The president criticized his fellow Shia leaders for not heeding the call for reform.
Muqdida al-Sadr did not elaborate on his organization's announcement to close its offices, but said his organization's cultural and religious institutions would remain open.
Muqtada al-Sadr had also in the past announced his separation from politics and the government and the disbanding of his loyal militia. However, they still have influence over the country's state institutions and have armed groups with thousands of members.
Despite such declarations in the past, he has been participating in political activities. However, the current political crisis in Iraq is much more severe than in the past.
The recent deadlock between Muqtada al-Sadr and his Shiite rivals has left the country without a government for a long time.
In the October election, Muqtada al-Sadr's party, Sadrist Moment, came first, but after failing to form a government of their choice, members of his party withdrew from government formation.
He had previously threatened to keep his Shiite rival groups close to Iran out of government.
After that, the supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the government zone in the center of Baghdad. Since then, the president's supporters have been in control of the parliament, due to which the process of electing the president and prime minister has been stalled.
Now Muqtada al-Sadr is demanding to dissolve the parliament and hold early elections. He says that after the occupation of Iraq by the United States, no politician in the government can hold public office.
Moqtada al-Sadr's ally, Mustafa al-Khadimi, is currently serving as the country's caretaker prime minister.
Monday's announcement added to fears that al-Sadr's supporters will intensify their ongoing protests without his control, further destabilizing Iraq.
