Rockets land in Iraq's Baghdad as parliament rejects speaker's resignation

Three Katyusha rockets landed in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone as Iraq's parliament voted to reject the resignation of speaker Mohammed Halbousi, Iraq's military has said.

Seven security personnel were wounded in the attack on Wednesday, which took place amid a partial lockdown as parliament was convening.

Security forces blocked bridges to the central Green Zone and imposed a curfew on buses, motorcycles and trucks.

Another rocket later fell near the Green Zone, where parliament and many government offices and foreign embassies are located, security sources said. 

Despite the tight restrictions, dozens of supporters of cleric Muqtada al Sadr gathered in Baghdad's Tahrir Square, which lies outside the Green Zone, to protest against the parliamentary session.

A Reuters cameraman said around a dozen were seen throwing stones at security forces.

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Parliamentary vote

Sadr emerged as the biggest winner from an election last October but ordered his parliamentarians to withdraw after failing to form a coalition government after months of political deadlock. He is demanding fresh elections.

A large majority of parliamentarians voted on Wednesday against Halbousi's resignation, effectively endorsing his continuation in office.

The resignation was rejected by 222-13 votes, the assembly said in a statement.

"The parliament voted to renew confidence in Halbousi," the statement added.

The parliament speaker tendered his resignation on Monday amid a months-long political crisis in Iraq since last year.

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