Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called on his followers on Sunday to help clear roads blocked during months of sit-in protests, calling for things to get back to normal following the appointment of a new prime minister. Sadr urged his supporters known as “blue hats” to also work with authorities to ensure schools and businesses can operate normally again. “I advise the security forces to stop anyone from cutting off roads and the ministry of education should punish those who obstruct regular working hours, be they students, teachers or others,” Sadr tweeted. According to Reuters, some of his supporters appeared to have helped already to clear out protest areas in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square overnight. Protesters demanding the removal of Iraq’s ruling elite and the creation of better jobs and services have regularly blocked main roads in Baghdad and southern Iraq since demonstrations erupted in October. However, anti-government protests continued across Iraqs south on Sunday, despite the previous evenings appointment of new Prime Minister Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi. "Mohammad Allawi is rejected, by order of the people!" read a new sign hung in the city of Najaf on Sunday, AFP reported. Demonstrators demanded a politically independent successor who had not served in government and for them, ex-communications minister Allawi doesnt meet the condition. Main highways leading out of Najaf and streets within the city were still blocked off with smouldering tyres on Sunday morning. More than 480 people have died and nearly 30,000 have been wounded since the rallies began in October. Only few have been held accountable for the bloodshed.