Iraqis celebrate end of curfew in Baghdad

Nightly curfew, imposed on Baghdad for years, was lifted Saturday midnight among celebrations of Iraqis.
The curfew had largely been in place since 2004, Its imposition was in response to the growing violence that engulfed Iraq after the US-led invasion a year earlier.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi decided last Thursday to bring the curfew to an end as of Saturday midnight, with his office saying that the move would allow there to “be normal life as much as possible.
“Lifting curfew is the last shout in the face of terrorism,” Head of the Parliamentarian Security and Defense Committee Hakem Al-Zamily said, expressing hope that security forces be ready enough for the challenge.
Al-Zamily added, on the sideline of participating in a celebration organized at al-Tahrir square in Baghdad, that lifting curfew after years of being imposed on Baghdad is a message of contentment to all Iraqis.