Shafaq News/ Operations resumed at a port and an oil refinery in southern Iraq on Thursday, a week after it stopped as protesters left the two areas, port officials and sources in the security and oil sectors said.

Anti-government protesters blocked roads leading to Umm Qasr cargo port, halting operations for more than a week, as well as oil containers at al-Nasiriyah refinery on Wednesday. The sources said the protesters had left but did not specify why or how

Port officials announced at the end of last month that all operations at the port had been halted after protesters closed its entrance, warning that further disruption of operations could harm the country and affect the flow of basic goods.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for Prime Minister ,Adel Abdul Mahdi said that the closure of the important Iraqi port of Umm Qasr overlooking the Gulf by anti-government protesters had cost the country more than $ 6 billion so far. "The closure of Umm Qasr harms the country," Khalaf said a news conference, adding that hundreds of trucks were still parked. This was causing great harm to the country.

The demonstrations began in Iraq more than a month ago, in protest against the spread of corruption and deteriorating economic conditions, demanding the government to resign.