Baghdad, 30 August 2022 (dpa/MIA) - The curfew has been lifted and people began to take to the streets across Baghdad on Tuesday, shortly after influential cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ordered his followers to withdraw from their protest site following nearly 24 hours of deadly violence. Sadrist protesters started leaving in large number, with some carrying their weapons or bags after an angry speech by al-Sadr. The withdrawal was smooth despite Iraqis crowding the streets as soon the curfew was lifted, witnesses told dpa. Al-Sadr criticized his loyalists, referred to as the Sadrist Movement, and gave them one hour to end the protest. "If [followers] do not withdraw from the sit-in within 60 minutes, I will even disavow the movement," he said. "What is happening in Iraq has saddened me," he added. "I hoped it would be peaceful protests." "I apologize to the Iraqi people," al-Sadr said. Large crowds of al-Sadr's had gathered since Monday evening outside the Green Zone, which houses government buildings, with reports of clashes and shooting throughout the night. Clashes began earlier in the day when security forces fired tear gas and shots to get al-Sadr followers out of the government palace, which houses the office of the prime minister, hours after they stormed it. They then gathered outside the Green Zone. At least 25 people died and around 450 were injured, according to witnesses, security and medical sources. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi welcomed the speech said "al-Sadr’s call to stop violence is the epitome of patriotism and respect to the sanctity of Iraqi blood." The United Nations also welcomed the cleric's call and urged restraint and calm. On Monday, the chaos erupted shortly after al-Sadr said he was quitting politics amid a 10-month-long impasse in the country. Since the October parliamentary elections, political forces have failed to agree on nominees for the premier and president positions. Al-Sadr's bloc won the largest number of seats but lacked the majority needed to form a government. Many Iraqis have been demanding a change in the political system, including the mass 2019 pro-reform street protests. "The Iraqis have been debating the change of this system for years," Iraqi analyst Farhad Alaaldin said. "A change or amendment of the Constitution is necessary, however, it is not easy," he added. Alaaldin believes that now al-Sadr's rivals, the Coordination Framework political alliance, must accommodate some of the demands of the Sadrists to create some common ground. Al-Sadr has been demanding early parliamentary elections.