The high-security Green Zone in the centre of Baghdad has been fully reopened on Tuesday (June 4th) after a marked improvement in the security situation across the country, the Iraqi government said in a statement.
"The streets of the Green Zone are now open for traffic around the clock on a permanent basis," it said.
The Green Zone had been totally inaccessible for a vast majority of Iraqis since 2003.
All the concrete barriers and blocks have been removed, the government said, and the area will now be open for both pedestrians and traffic like the rest of the capital.
Nine streets inside the Green Zone, along with al-Tashrie and Wezarat al-Defaa streets, were reopened, it said, noting that security forces will secure these streets.
