Parliament to meet on Sunday to decide on Iraqi PM's fate amid ongoing anti-government protests

Adel Abdul Mahdi, Iraqi Prime Minister, resigned from parliament amid ongoing anti-government demonstrations in the capital Baghdad and southern Iraq.

On Friday the prime minister had stated that he would hand in his resignation amid rising pressure a day after security forces killed more than 40 protestors.

The formal resignation was presented after an emergency cabinet session on Saturday in which ministers approved the document and the departure of key staffers, including Abdul Mahdi's chief of staff.

The Iraqi parliament is catalogued to meet on Sunday where legislators will vote on whether to accept Abdul Mahdi's resignation or not.

The statement also came after Iraq's top Shia religious leader withdrew his support for the government in a weekly sermon on Friday.

More than 400 people were killed since the riot shook Iraq on October 1, with thousands of Iraqis getting to the streets in Baghdad and the predominantly Shia south, poor services, criticising corruption, lack of jobs and calling for an end to the post-2003 political system.

Security forces used tear gas, live fire, and sound bombs to scatter crowds leading to massive casualties.