BAGHDAD – Protesters in Baghdad halted their rally on Wednesday upon a request from prominent Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who gave the Iraqi Prime Minister 48 hours to re-announce his cabinet. Rudaw reporter, Bahman Hassan, said the protesters left Tahrir Square and Baghdad’s Green Zone as Sadr gave Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, an ultimatum to re-announce his cabinet in the coming 48 hours. “People who came from other cities for the one-million man protest called by Sadr have also returned to their homes,” Hassan said. “The tents in Tahrir square are still there.” Abadi announced new ministers on Tuesday under increasing pressure from demonstrators to implement reforms and reshuffle his cabinet, but the new cabinet was refused by protesters. As large protests forced Iraqi government institutions to close on Tuesday, the Iraqi military deployed armored vehicles and soldiers to the capital's Green Zone.
