The Sadr movement, also known as the Sadr Trend, stormed the so-called Green Zone of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad where many government buildings and embassies are based. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombings.
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Among demands are also the resignation of the president, prime minister and parliamentary speaker and new elections.
Tehran has funded and equipped Shiite militias to help combat Islamic State, which now controls Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul.
Many of Mr Sadr’s supporters were content to take photographs of themselves in parliament, with some sitting in seats usually occupied by MPs.
The protest was the first to seriously breach the International Zone security cordon, yet was bloodless, which “suggests that the security forces in the targeted area were sympathetic, or were ordered to stand down; likely both are true”, notes the Soufan Group, which provides security and risk management analyses.
Three bombs went off in and around Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 14 people, including Shi’ite Muslim worshippers conducting an annual pilgrimage inside the capital, police and medical sources said.
Mr Abadi said those who assaulted politicians and security forces and “vandalised state properties” should “receive their just punishment”.
A statement issued by a committee of Sadr aides, responsible for organizing the protest, said “the masses from a position of strength announces evacuation from the Green Zone”.
Increasingly tense protests and a series of failed reform measures have paralyzed Iraq’s government as the country struggles to fight the Islamic State group and respond to an economic crisis sparked in part by a plunge in global oil prices.
A police officer said 45 people were also wounded when the auto, which was parked in the Saydiyah neighbourhood, blew up after midday.
On April 30, coalition military forces conducted 26 strikes against the terror group in coordination with the Iraqi government, the USA military said.
Hundreds of people pull-ed down and stormed over concrete blast walls, celebrating inside Parliament and attacking several depu-ties.
According to the United Nations, at least 741 Iraqis were killed in April due to ongoing violence, a sharp decline from the previous month.
“The political crisis is having a very negative influence on our war against DAESH”, said Iraqi lawmaker Yonadam Kanna, adding, “I can tell you DAESH is very happy that there are these demonstrations in Baghdad”.
Muqtada al-Sadr has a history of leading violent protests against U.S. troops during the Iraq war.
Mr. Sadr’s supporters have repeatedly filled downtown Baghdad’s streets over the past month to push for long-delayed political reforms aimed at reducing corruption and a new cabinet of ministers who aren’t beholden to sectarian political parties.
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Breaching the Green Zone is unprecedented.
