Shafaq News / The Iraqi security forces closed on Sunday morning, the green zone in the center of the capital, Baghdad, which includes foreign diplomatic missions, hours before the parliament held an extraordinary session to vote on a session of confidence in the government of Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi.

A security source said, "The security forces closed the Green Zone in front of the entry of civilians, and entry was limited to identification cards holders specific to the area."

The source pointed out that "the security forces also closed Al-Sank bridge near al-Khulani square led to the Green Zone," noting that "additional forces were brought in to the area in anticipation of any emergency, especially with regard to the parliament session to give confidence to the new government."

Thousands of protesters from the central and southern provinces of the country arrived to Tahrir Square in central Baghdad, during the past few hours, to announce their refusal to voting on the government of Muhammad Allawi.

The protesters refuse to assign Allawi to form a government, and demand the assumption of responsibility by figures who had been nominated by the popular movement squares in Baghdad and the provinces.

Iraq has been witnessing unprecedented protests, since the beginning of October 2019, interspersed with violence that left more than 600 people dead, according to the country's president, Barham Salih and Amnesty International.

The popular movement forced the government of Adel Abdul-Mahdi to submit its resignation last December, and the demonstrators insist on the departure and accountability of all political elites accused of corruption and waste of state funds, which have governed since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003.