Protesters Storm the Swedish Embassy in Iraq

Tensions escalated earlier today in Iraq as hundreds of protesters stormed the main gates of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in response to reports of a planned Quran burning in Stockholm, Sweden.

The demonstrators, chanting slogans and waving flags, expressed their outrage at the prospect of the Muslim holy book being desecrated once again.

Videos circulating on social media captured the chaotic scene, showing a large number of protesters inside the embassy’s perimeter as black smoke billowed from the building.

It appeared that some individuals had set parts of the embassy on fire to make their point heard, raising serious security concerns for diplomatic missions.

The demonstration in Sweden, scheduled for today, follows a previous incident where a lone man set fire to pages of the Quran outside Stockholm’s main mosque, igniting worldwide outrage and condemnation. The act also sparked mass protests across the Muslim world.

In response to the escalating tensions, Swedish police granted a permit for a protest outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm.

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However, they refrained from providing further details on the specific plans of the demonstrators. The Swedish police emphasized that they only grant permits for public gatherings, not for the activities conducted during these gatherings.

In Baghdad, eyewitnesses reported that the protesters withdrew from the Swedish Embassy’s perimeter after delivering their message against the Quran burning. However, before leaving, they set a small fire as a symbol of their condemnation.

The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs swiftly condemned the attack on the Swedish Embassy, stating that it is part of a concerning pattern of assaults on diplomatic missions, posing a significant security threat.

The ministry has instructed competent security authorities to launch an urgent investigation to identify the perpetrators of this act and hold them accountable under the law.

At the heart of the protests in Baghdad is the influential Iraqi Shia cleric and political leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, whose supporters called for the demonstration. Social media posts and pro-Sadr media fueled the mobilization of protesters in response to the planned Quran burning in Stockholm.

The Swedish foreign ministry has ensured that all staff at the embassy are safe, but they have expressed concern about the violation of the Vienna Convention and called on Iraqi authorities to protect diplomatic missions and staff.

Iraqi riot police took action to disperse the demonstrators away from the embassy, using water cannons. Meanwhile, security forces armed with electric batons chased protesters who had breached the embassy grounds.

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As the situation unfolds, both Sweden and Iraq are grappling with the aftermath of this alarming incident. The international community is closely monitoring the developments, hoping for a peaceful resolution to the escalating tensions.

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