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| Baghdad curfew ended by Iraq PM Haider al-Abadi | Baghdad curfew ended by Iraq PM Haider al-Abadi |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has ordered a night-time curfew in place in Baghdad for years to be lifted beginning on Saturday. | Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has ordered a night-time curfew in place in Baghdad for years to be lifted beginning on Saturday. |
| The announcement came after Mr Abadi was briefed by security services. | The announcement came after Mr Abadi was briefed by security services. |
| Iraq has long used curfews to try to curb violence, and analysts say the latest move marks a major policy shift. | Iraq has long used curfews to try to curb violence, and analysts say the latest move marks a major policy shift. |
| While Baghdad is still hit by regular suicide bombings, the threat to the capital from Islamic State (IS) militants is viewed to have subsided. | While Baghdad is still hit by regular suicide bombings, the threat to the capital from Islamic State (IS) militants is viewed to have subsided. |
| Iraq's army is battling IS militants who have seized large swathes of territory outside of Baghdad. | Iraq's army is battling IS militants who have seized large swathes of territory outside of Baghdad. |
| In the city itself, at least 10 people were killed as a series of explosions rocked the capital on Tuesday. | In the city itself, at least 10 people were killed as a series of explosions rocked the capital on Tuesday. |
| But Mr Abadi wants life in Iraq to return to normal as far as possible "despite the existence of a state of war," his spokesman Rafid Jaboori said. | |
| The lifting of restrictions is "part of the response to terrorism and the war against it," he added. | |
| Welcome news | |
| The night-time curfew has been in place in the capital since 2004. It has varied in length, but was most recently imposed between midnight and 05:00. | |
| The prime minister, who came to power in September 2014, has also ordered the reopening of several major streets in the city. | The prime minister, who came to power in September 2014, has also ordered the reopening of several major streets in the city. |
| The decision was taken "in order to facilitate the movement of citizens," according to a government statement. | |
| The news will be welcomed by many in Baghdad as it will make make life seem a little more normal, says BBC Middle East analyst Sebastian Usher. | |
| A curfew is also reported to have been lifted in Karbala, south of Baghdad, with the possibility of more being lifted in other provinces. | |
| Despite this, a curfew has been newly imposed in the northern city of Kirkuk amid threats of an IS assault. |