Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi has said he will submit his resignation to parliament in the wake of anti-government protests.
The statement comes a day after dozens of protesters were killed by security forces and shortly after Iraq’s top Shiite cleric called on the parliament to withdraw support.
Forty protesters were shot dead by security forces in Baghdad and the southern cities of Najaf and Nasiriya on Thursday.
Mr Abdul-Mahdi said he will present to parliament an official memorandum asking for the resignation of the current government.
The move comes just over a year since he took office.
