Supporters of populist cleric storm Baghdad's Green Zone over rival's PM nomination

July 28 (UPI) -- Hundreds of supporters of populist Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr have stormed Baghdad's tightly protected International Green Zone complex and Parliament over the recent nomination of a rival for prime minister.

The protesters stormed the complex where Iraqi and foreign government buildings are housed in central Baghdad on Wednesday against Monday's nomination by the pro-Iran Coordination Framework political alliance of Mohammed Shia Al Sudani for prime minister.

The Iraqi News Agency reported the protesters entered the highly guarded zone by removing concrete blast walls after protesting in front of its gates.

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq called for protests to remain peaceful.

"The right to peaceful protest is essential to democracy," it tweeted. "However, it goes hand in hand with respect for state institutions and the safeguarding of public and private property."

Iraqi leaders have called on the protesters to immediately leave the compound.

Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi demanded in a statement they withdraw from the Parliament building.

Earlier, following the breach of the the complex, the prime minister issued a softer appeal, calling on his "sons, the demonstrators, to abide by their peace, to preserve public and private property" and to heed security forces instructions to immediately leave the Green Zone.

Al-Sadr also called on his supporters to leave on via Twitter.

"Your message has been delivered, dear friends, pray and return to your homes safely."

The protest, the largest in nearly a year, comes amid a stalemate over forming a new Iraq government that began after October's parliamentary elections, which saw Al Sadr's bloc win 20 additional Parliament seats in the 329-seat body, making it the largest seat-holder in the chamber with about 75.

Last month amid the protracted stalemate, 73 of the Sadrist Bloc members resigned, seemingly in protest.