Mongolian prime minister resigns after COVID-19 protests

FILE PHOTO: A man holds a sign demanding the resignation of the State Emergency Commission (SEC), during a protest against the government's handling on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, on Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia January 20, 2021. Picture taken January 20, 2021. REUTERS/Anand Tumurtogoo

ULAANBAATAR (Reuters) - Mongolia's parliament has approved the resignation of Prime Minister Khurelsukh Ukhnaa after protests in the capital Ulaanbaatar over the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state news agency, Montsame, said.

Khurelsukh said in a resignation statement submitted on Thursday that he should "assume the responsibility upon himself and accept the demand of the public."