On 28 September, Sheikh Hussein al-Saidi, Nujaba’s Executive Council deputy chairman, said contacts had told him Najaf airport would open and asked sit-in participants to return to work and suspend their protest. He said they would return in greater numbers and anger if it did not open, until what he called the American blockade was broken and the airport opened to shrine visitors. Sabereen News (KH — affiliated) carried his attributed words before Shabab al-Islam (Ashab al-Kahf — owned, non-official) and Noon Media (Nujaba — official) posted them; the message does not specify an armed act.
- Sabereen NewsKH — affiliated28 Sept, 19:49
“We ask today’s sit-in participants to return to work and suspend the sit-in until further notice... If the airport does not open, we will return in greater numbers and anger.”
نرجو من المعتصمين اليوم الانصراف إلى أعمالهم وتعليق الاعتصام إلى إشعار آخر ... وإن لم يفتح المطار ستكون لنا عودة أكبر غاضبة
- Shabab al-IslamAshab al-Kahf — owned, non-official28 Sept, 19:53
“Suspend the sit-in until further notice... If the airport does not open, we will return in greater numbers and anger until the American blockade is broken.”
تعليق الاعتصام إلى إشعار آخر ... وإن لم يفتح المطار ستكون لنا عودة أكبر غاضبة لحين كسر الحصار الأمريكي
- Noon MediaNujaba — official28 Sept, 20:50
“We ask today’s sit-in participants to return to work and suspend the sit-in until further notice... If the airport does not open, we will return in greater numbers and anger.”
نرجو من المعتصمين اليوم العودة إلى أعمالهم وتعليق الاعتصام إلى إشعار آخر ... وإن لم يفتح المطار ستكون لنا عودة أكبر غاضبة
- Shabab al-IslamAshab al-Kahf — owned, non-official28 Sept, 21:17
“If the airport does not open, we will return in greater numbers and anger until the American blockade is broken and the airport opened to shrine visitors.”
وإن لم يفتح المطار ستكون لنا عودة أكبر غاضبة لحين كسر الحصار الأمريكي وفتح المطار أمام زوار العتبات المقدسة
- Jehad Brothers TeamNujaba — affiliated28 Sept, 21:23
“If the airport does not open, we will return in greater numbers and anger until the American blockade is broken and the airport opened to shrine visitors.”
وإن لم يفتح المطار ستكون لنا عودة أكبر غاضبة لحين كسر الحصار الأمريكي وفتح المطار أمام زوار العتبات المقدسة
The condition for ending the pause is an airport opening, whereas the separate protest statement demands cancellation of restrictions on Iranian flights across Iraqi airports.